Gujarat local body polls 2026: BJP secures first victory on Bahiyal district panchayat seat

Ahmedabad: The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has secured its first victory on the Bahiyal seat, which has an overwhelming Muslim majority, in the Gandhinagar district panchayat. Six months ago, the town witnessed communal riots for the first time, leading to a mega demolition drive.

The Congress party has been winning this seat since independence. The Muslim communities here make up more than 80% of the total voters. Though Congress won the taluka panchayat of Dehgam, comprising Bahiyal, the party lost the seat in the district panchayat. The party members are in shock over the result.



A former member of taluka panchayat, Mushtaq Chauhan, said, "This is a mystery for us. Congress could never have lost this seat. Of the 7,700 voters, 6,059 voted in these elections. Our candidate in the taluka panchayat won by a margin of over 1,500 votes, but we lost in the district panchayat by 111 votes. It is quite surprising."

Bahiyal witnessed its first communal unrest in Sep 2025 after violence broke out over social media posts, with stone-pelting reported during a garba event. State home minister Harsh Sanghavi visited the town and assured swift police action. More than 60 people, most of them Muslims, were detained. In Oct, authorities razed 186 shops owned by members of the minority community.

Chauhan said the riots and subsequent bulldozer action had no impact on the election. But Bahiyal native Junaid Qazi disagrees. He said, "Those who were detained after the riots, and many more who are still fearing indictment, were under pressure to support the ruling party."
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