Gandhinagar, April 28 (IANS) Early trends in the counting of votes for Gujarat’s local body elections on Tuesday showed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) taking a decisive lead across urban and rural bodies, according to official updates available till 11 a.m.

In Municipal Corporations, the party has won 51 seats so far, including 41 uncontested. In Municipalities, or nagarpalikas, the BJP led with 428 seats, while the Congress had secured 25 seats and others seven.

In District Panchayats, the BJP has won 64 seats, with the Congress securing one, while no seats have been reported for others at that stage.

In Taluka Panchayats, the BJP was ahead with 357 seats, followed by the Congress with 24 and others with 14.

Among individual municipalities where results were declared or nearing completion, the BJP won all 24 seats in Gandevi Municipality, with 22 candidates elected unopposed and two through voting.

In Patdi Municipality, the party again secured all 24 seats, including 16 uncontested and eight through polling, with counting completed.

In Viramgam Municipality, the BJP crossed the halfway mark in the 36-member body, with 13 candidates elected unopposed and six more seats won as counting continued.

In Dholka Municipality, the party moved well past the halfway mark, winning 11 seats unopposed and 10 through polling, with results declared for 21 of the 36 seats and counting still underway.

Counting began earlier in the day at designated centres across the state under arrangements made by the State Election Commission, following polling held on April 26.

The elections covered 15 Municipal Corporations, 84 Municipalities, 34 District Panchayats and 260 Taluka Panchayats.

Voter turnout had varied across tiers, with 49.02 per cent recorded in Municipal Corporations, 59.50 per cent in Municipalities, 61.69 per cent in District Panchayats and 62.38 per cent in Taluka Panchayats, while by-elections to municipal seats saw a turnout of 55.38 per cent.

The polls, contested by major parties including the BJP, Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party along with Independents, are being seen as an important indicator of political strength at the grassroots level.

Officials said counting is continuing across centres, with further results expected throughout the day.

–IANS

mys/dpb