DNA Poll | BJP wins Gujarat and Maha local polls: Did demonetization affect the results?

A lot of political commentators had believed that PM Modi’s demonetization announcement could backfire and lead to a political reversal for BJP. The Opposition, including AAP, BSP, TMC, Congress and the Left Front, have criticised the notes ban saying it is hurting the common man. The received wisdom was that the local bodies elections in Maharashtra and Gujarat would tell us if people were for or against demonetization. In Maharashtra, BJP made major inroads winning 851 seats across 164 urban local bodies. In 2011, the BJP had won 298 seats, but since then BJP has made huge gains in the state by doing well in both the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. In Gujarat, the BJP dominated even further capturing 107 seats out of a total 123 while Congress was reduced to just 14.

So did the note ban play a part? Tell us what you think. 

BJP romps home in Gujarat and Maharashtra 

Putting a dismal performance ahead of the Assembly polls due next year, the Congress managed to capture only 16 seats in this election. As per the final result declared by the Gujarat State Election Commission, BJP has registered victory in Vapi municipality of Valsad district by capturing 41 out of total 44 seats. Only three seats went to Congress. Vapi municipality was earlier held by BJP.

Similarly, BJP made a near clean sweep in the polls to Kanakpur-Kansad municipality of Surat, where it captured 27 out of 28 seats, leaving only one to Congress. It was also held by BJP earlier. In Rajkot, BJP snatched Gondal taluka panchayat, which went for mid-term poll, from Congress by winning 18 out of total 22 seats. Congress settled for only four. Earlier, Congress was ruling Gondal taluka panchayat. The results of the local bodies elections assume significance for the BJP in the run up to the state polls next year, and that they were held just after the demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes by the Centre.

Apart from these three elections, Gujarat SEC conducted by-elections on 29 seats of various municipalities, taluka panchayats and district panchayats across the state.

The bypolls were necessitated as these seats fell vacant due to various reasons.

Out of total 16 seats of different municipalities, BJP bagged 14 while Congress has to settle for only two. Out of the total four seats of district panchayats, both the parties bagged two each. In the taluka panchayat by-polls, BJP won on five out of total nine while Congress captured four seats.

Congratulating the state party unit, Prime Minister Modi also thanked the people of Gujarat for showing faith in the party. ‘Congratulations to @BJP4Gujarat Karyakartas, CM @vijayrupanibjp & @jitu_vaghani for their hardwork work across the state. Over the last few days we have seen the results of various polls, Parliamentary, Assembly & local polls across India. Be it the Northeast, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat...BJP has performed very well. I thank the people,’ he said in a series of tweets.

 BJP's victory in the first phase of the civic polls in Maharashtra has come as a shot in the arm for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who can now more tenaciously take on the Opposition as well as ally Shiv Sena.

The polls are being considered a litmus test for Fadnavis, who led the BJP campaign to make inroads in the rural areas where Congress and NCP hold sway, and have been keenly watched as they are being held post demonetisation.

The results of 164 civic bodies, declared yesterday, are also seen by political observers as a sign of the ruling party firming its grip on the semi-urban and rural parts of the state.

It belied hopes of the Congress and NCP to cash in on the fallout of note scrapping on the rural economy and small trade as well as the campaign by the Maratha community for quota in jobs and education.

The Congress and NCP leaders however have sought to put up a brave face holding that this was "just the first round" of the multi-phased elections and hundreds of civic bodies across the state are yet to go to polls.

Some of them also put the blame on failure to work out a coherent alliance at the grassroots against the saffron party, which launched a spirited campaign led by Fadnavis.

As the results started pouring in BJP's favour, Prime Minister Narendra Modi last evening termed the outcome as a "win for pro-poor and development politics of BJP." Modi also lauded Fadnavis and state BJP chief Raosaheb Danve for the party's performance in the grass-roots level electoral exercise, held in the backdrop of the demonetisation move.

In response to Modi's tweet, Fadnavis said, "Thanks Sir! You inspired confidence in people that our Nation is transforming. Mandate shows Maharashtra is with your vision of transparency."

Significantly, the results could also have an impact on the crucial Mumbai Municipal polls slated in early next year.

The BMC, as the largest and the richest urban civic body is known in local parlance, has been controlled by Shiv Sena for quiet a long time and there is speculation on whether the two saffron parties would forge an alliance this time as well.

Mumbai BJP leaders voiced confidence of repeating the success in upcoming rounds of polls not only in other parts of the state but in the megapolis as well.

Amarjeet Mishra, General Secretary of the Mumbai BJP, said, "BJP has swept the first phase of municipal council polls and undoubtedly we are going to repeat the same in Mumbai."

"Our party has done immense work at grass-roots level such as pushing forward coastal road, Metro corridors which are directly being monitored by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has emerged as Vikas Purush of Maharashtra," he added.

The ties between Shiv Sena and BJP have been strained since the two parted ways ahead of 2014 Assembly elections.
Though Sena is part of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra, it has often been critical of the BJP, both in the state as well as the Centre.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has also been vocal against the implementation of the demonetisation move.