VADODARA: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is registering strong gains in the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) elections, winning panels in Wards 4, 7, 10, and 13 as counting of votes is underway on Tuesday.In Ward 16, both the BJP and Congress secured two seats each, marking a closely contested outcome. Congress heavyweight Chandrakant Srivastava also won from the ward 16, giving the party a notable presence in the segment.In a setback for the Congress, three-time corporator Balu Surve lost from Ward 13, where the BJP panel secured victory. The BJP also clinched the panel in Ward 10, further strengthening its position in the civic body.Polling for the elections was held on Sunday across 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats, and 260 taluka panchayats in the state. Counting began at 9 am on Tuesday, State Election Commission (SEC) officials said.The elections are being seen as one of the largest democratic exercises in Gujarat ahead of the Assembly polls due next year, covering nearly 9,200 seats with over 4.18 crore eligible voters.According to SEC data, voter turnout stood at 55.1% in municipal corporations, 65.53% in municipalities, 66.64% in district panchayats, and 67.26% in taluka panchayats.
