Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, 17 May declared that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had delivered a comprehensive sweep in Gujarat's recent local body elections, asserting that both the Indian National Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had been decisively rejected by voters across the state. Shah made the remarks at a public event in Gandhinagar, where he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development projects worth ₹620 crore under the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation.

Key Election Results

Shah cited granular figures to underscore the scale of BJP's dominance. The party won all municipal corporations it contested. Of 84 municipalities, BJP secured 77. In district panchayats, the party won 33 out of 34. At the taluka level, BJP claimed 253 out of 260 panchayats. The results, Shah argued, reflected sustained public trust rather than a one-time electoral wave.

Shah's Remarks on Congress and AAP

Shah was pointed in his criticism of the opposition. 'In the recent local body elections, Congress was completely wiped out. Even if we search with binoculars, Congress cannot be seen,' he said, drawing applause from the gathering. Turning to AAP, he noted the party's recent drubbing in Delhi and its failure to register in Gujarat. 'In Delhi, they themselves got wiped out, and here they could not even open their account,' Shah said.

Development Push in Gandhinagar

The event served as both a political address and a civic milestone. Projects inaugurated and initiated under the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation include urban health centres, overhead water tanks, community halls, road development works, sports facilities, sewage treatment infrastructure, and internal roads in newly developing areas. Shah credited the uninterrupted development trajectory initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat, now carried forward by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Shah said the corporation and the state government had jointly delivered improvements in drinking water supply, sewage treatment, lake beautification, roads, libraries, health facilities, and yoga centres.

COVID-19 Service as Political Capital

Shah linked BJP's electoral strength to the party's grassroots conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said workers had delivered food kits, helped patients reach hospitals, arranged testing facilities, and managed vaccination queues — often at personal risk. 'Many workers themselves came under the grip of the coronavirus, and some lost their lives, but they continued to serve the people,' he said. This service, Shah argued, had built a durable bond of trust that translated into votes.

What State Leaders Said

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, present at the event, said the state government aimed to develop 'pollution-free, garbage-free and slum-free cities' with green infrastructure and sustainable urban planning. The event was also attended by State Urban Development Minister Darshanaben Vaghela, MLA Alpesh Thakor, Gandhinagar Mayor Miraben Patel, and senior district administration officials.

With Gujarat firmly in BJP's column at every tier of local governance, the party's attention is likely to turn to consolidating its urban development narrative ahead of future electoral cycles.