Vadgam (Gujarat) [India]: Congress backed Independent candidate Jignesh Mevani won Vadgam seat.
He defeated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Vijaykumar Chakravarti by a margin of 19696 votes. While Mevani secured 95497 votes, Chakravarti got 75801 votes.
Interestingly, NOTA (None of the Above) option was on third position with 4255 votes.
Hailing from Ahmedabad, Jignesh Mevani contested from Vadgam and aimed at his easy political take-off as the seat is considered very safe against BJP due to 16 percent Dalits and 25 percent Muslim population.
The anger of Dalits rose out of brutal beating of four dalit men by some local ‘gau raksha’ groups in Una had hurt the community in all over the state. Jignesh Mevani led the movement against the ruling BJP and tried to unite Dalits and Muslims through his rallies like that of ‘Chalo Una’.
The BJP has won here in 2007 only once since 1998.
The election in some villages of the constituency was suspended due to alleged reports of ink mark on the election symbol of Jignesh Mevani. Jignesh, on the polling day of second phase, made allegations of defaming him and playing cheap tricks against the BJP candidate. He also demanded repolling in four villages. However, the repolling was conducted on two booths.
There are total 260711 registered voters in Vadgam assembly constituency, which consists of Vadgam Taluka, Palanpur Taluka (Part) Villages – Hathidra, Kumpar, Godh, Dhandha, Khasa, Hoda, Galwada, Sagrosana, Bhagal (Jagana),Manaka, Gola, Merwada (Ratanpur), Vagda, Jagana, Vasna (Jagana), Badarpura (Kalusana), Saripada, Patosan, Salla, Sasam, Takarwada, Tokariya, Sedrasana, Kamalpur, Fatepur, Semodra, Asmapura (Gola), Dhelana, Kharodiya, Jasleni, Badargadh, Kanodar (CT).(ANI)