Gujarat: Visavadar's political realignment from Congress to AAP
Ahmedabad: Visavadar, a seat long held or closely contested by the Congress, delivered a verdict in the 2025 bypoll by electing Aam Aadmi Party's Gopal Italia, a result which encapsulates the crumbling of old allegiances and the emergence of new political aspirations.
With 75,942 votes to his name, Italia defeated BJP's Kirit Patel (58,388 votes) by a decisive margin of 17,554.
Congress, which once wielded commanding influence in this agrarian belt of Junagadh district, plummeted to a dismal third with a mere 5,501 votes. It is a reversal of political fortunes few would have predicted a decade ago. Visavadar has historically been a 'Congress country'.
From the days of Madhavsinh Solanki's dominance in Gujarat politics to the post-liberalisation electoral churn, Congress maintained a strong presence in Saurashtra through its grassroots workers, its caste alliances, particularly with the Patidar and Koli communities and its image as the party of farmers.
In the 2017 and 2022 elections, Visavadar was one of the few seats where Congress remained competitive even as its presence diminished elsewhere in Gujarat. The bypoll was triggered by the defection of AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani to the BJP, an act seen by many locals as political betrayal. This left the seat vacant and opened the field for a high-stakes contest.
The Congress, weakened by internal strife and a crumbling cadre, fielded a low-key candidate, hoping nostalgia and legacy would carry them through. But the ground had shifted. Instead of flowing back to Congress, the anti-BJP sentiment in the constituency rallied behind Gopal Italia, a leader with credibility, conviction, and connection.
Italia's entry into the contest changed the entire dynamic. His political identity, shaped by activism, anti-corruption movements, and his prominent role in the Patidar agitation, gave AAP the kind of leadership Gujarat had been lacking. His appeal extended beyond caste lines, drawing in first-time voters, disenchanted Congress supporters, and farmers fed up with both state and central neglect.
For Congress, the defeat is more than electoral; it is existential. The party's vote share in Visavadar has collapsed from nearly 30 per cent in 2022 to under 8 per cent now. This isn't just about one seat. It's about a broader rejection of a party that has failed to offer fresh leadership, build new narratives, or even sustain old ones.
The resignation of Gujarat Congress chief Shaktisinh Gohil in the aftermath only highlights the turmoil.
AAP, by contrast, ran a meticulously localised campaign. While Delhi's governance model was highlighted, the focus remained on Visavadar's specific issues: dwindling water resources, poor healthcare infrastructure, agricultural distress, and the feeling of political abandonment.
Italia's team worked booth-to-booth, speaking in the idiom of the voter, not the Delhi headquarters. The BJP's second-place finish is significant but also telling. Despite their deep pockets and statewide cadre network, they could not capitalise on Congress's collapse. Their bet on Bhayani's defection misfired badly, and the selection of Kirit Patel failed to energise voters.
The electorate's message was clear: it will not reward opportunism or take kindly to backroom deals. What Visavadar demonstrates is a changing pulse in Gujarat's rural politics.
A constituency once loyal to Congress has not only turned away but has not defaulted to the BJP, a scenario Gujarat has rarely seen in recent years. Instead, it has consciously chosen a third path.
For the Aam Aadmi Party, this is more than a symbolic win. It is a confirmation that their brand of issue-driven, personality-backed politics has potential in Gujarat beyond urban fringes.
With Gopal Italia now firmly established as the face of this new push, AAP has its first real grassroots icon in the state. It remains to be seen whether they can build on this momentum, but for now, they have what Congress once had in Visavadar, a toehold in the voters' trust.
Visavadar's verdict is a turning point. It tells the story of a constituency that once stood with the Congress, turned restless, and now has chosen to invest its faith in a new experiment.
Whether that experiment flourishes or flounders will shape not just the future of 'Saurashtra' but potentially of Gujarat's politics itself.
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