Ahmedabad, June 19 (IANS) Voting is underway in two key Assembly constituencies of Gujarat — Kadi and Visavadar — as by-elections kicked off early Thursday morning.

Polling began at 7 a.m. and will continue until 6 p.m., with tight security and administrative arrangements in place across both constituencies.

According to the Election Commission of India, Visavadar recorded a voter turnout of 12.10 per cent, while Kadi saw 9.05 per cent polling by 9 a.m. Both seats are witnessing close contests, with the BJP fielding Rajendra Chavda from Kadi and Kiritbhai Patel from Visavadar.

In Kadi, located in Mehsana district, 294 polling stations have been set up to serve 2,89,927 registered voters. Over 1,900 polling staff have been deployed to manage the electoral process.

In Visavadar, situated in Junagadh district, voting is being conducted across 17 urban and 277 rural locations. The total number of registered voters here is 2,61,092, and 1,884 booths have been established to facilitate the polling.

The bypoll results for both constituencies will be declared on June 23.

The Kadi and Visavadar Assembly constituencies, currently in the spotlight due to ongoing bypolls, represent two politically and demographically distinct regions of Gujarat — North Gujarat and Saurashtra –each with its own electoral pulse and significance.

Located in Mehsana district, Kadi is a Scheduled Caste-reserved seat with a predominantly rural and semi-urban character.

The constituency has around 2.9 lakh registered voters, spread across 294 polling stations. It is home to a sizeable Dalit population, particularly sub-castes such as Valmiki and Rohit, along with OBC groups like Thakors and a notable presence of Patidars. Politically, Kadi has been a stronghold of the BJP, which has deep roots in North Gujarat.

The seat fell vacant after the passing of sitting BJP MLA Karsanbhai Solanki in February 2024. The BJP has fielded Rajendra Chavda in the current bypoll, and while the Congress and AAP are contesting, their local presence remains limited. Key issues in the constituency include caste representation, irrigation challenges (as Mehsana is a drought-prone region), unemployment, and rural development.

The seat is being closely watched for Dalit voter mobilisation and its reflection on the BJP’s social coalition in North Gujarat.

On the other hand, Visavadar, situated in Junagadh district of the Saurashtra region, is a general (unreserved) seat with a complex political history. The constituency has around 2.6 lakh voters and nearly 1,884 polling booths across 17 urban and 277 rural areas. Patidars form the dominant caste group here, followed by Kolis, Maldharis, and other OBCs.

Visavadar holds symbolic importance in Gujarat’s political landscape, having once been represented by former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel. The seat has seen frequent shifts in party control, oscillating between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in recent years. In 2022, Bhupendra Bhayani of AAP won the seat but later resigned and joined the BJP.

The BJP has nominated Kiritbhai Patel this time, with opposition parties hoping to capitalise on voter dissatisfaction over the defection.

The key issues in Visavadar include farmer distress, water scarcity, rural infrastructure, and the credibility of political representatives. Voter turnout and sentiment here are being closely monitored as a bellwether for political undercurrents in Saurashtra, a region often seen as influential in state politics.

–IANS

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