AAP skips Gujarat bypoll, cites focus on local body elections; rivals question move

Ahmedabad,UPDATED: Apr 7, 2026 17:43 IST

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided not to contest the upcoming Umreth Assembly by-election in Gujarat, saying it is prioritising the upcoming local body polls. The BJP and Congress, however, claimed the party stayed away after performing poorly in the seat in the past.

The by-election for the Umreth seat in Anand district, necessitated by the death of a BJP MLA, is scheduled for April 23. With the nomination deadline now over, no AAP candidate has entered the fray.

AAP Gujarat president Isudan Gadhvi said the party does not contest elections “just for the sake of it”. “We are preparing for the 2027 Assembly elections, but our entire focus right now is on local body polls. That is why we decided not to contest the Umreth by-election,” he said.

Rejecting criticism, Gadhvi added, “We are not anyone’s B-team. If Congress has the strength, it should defeat the BJP. This is an opportunity for them in Umreth.”

BJP EXPRESSES CONFIDENCE, FIELDS LATE MLA’S SON

The BJP has fielded Harshad Parmar, son of the late MLA, and expressed confidence of retaining the seat. Party spokesperson Anil Patel said the BJP expects voters to back the candidate, citing his grassroots connect.

“The former MLA was closely associated with the public, and his son has also worked on the ground for years. He served as sarpanch for a decade and took over responsibilities during his father’s illness,” Patel said.

Taking a swipe at AAP, he added that the party had little presence in the constituency and secured barely 2% of the vote in the last election, leading to forfeiture of its deposit.

CONGRESS FIELDS LOCAL LEADER, TARGETS AAP

The Congress has nominated Bhriguraj Singh Chauhan, a local leader with over 15 years of experience in the panchayat system, and held a show of strength during his nomination.

Once considered a Congress stronghold, Umreth has seen shifting political fortunes. The party last won the seat in 2007, while its ally NCP secured it in 2012. The BJP has held the seat since 2017.

Congress spokesperson Hemang Rawal said the contest is essentially between the BJP and the Congress. “If anyone can challenge the BJP here, it is the Congress. AAP had negligible votes in 2022 and even lost its deposit. Their decision not to contest now shows they are not in the picture,” he said.

WHY AAP STEPPED BACK

Political observers say the by-election outcome may not significantly alter the broader political landscape, especially with the BJP fielding the late MLA’s son, which could generate sympathy among voters.

AAP is yet to build a strong base in central Gujarat, and its 2022 performance in Umreth – under 4,000 votes, or about 2.12% vote share – underscored its limited presence.

With constrained organisational resources, the party appears to be focusing on local body elections to consolidate its base ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.

UMRETH: PAST ELECTION RESULTS

• 2012: NCP’s Jayant Patel (Boski), backed by Congress, defeated BJP’s Govind Parmar by 1,394 votes
• 2017: BJP’s Govind Parmar defeated Congress’ Kapila Chavda by 1,883 votes; NCP’s Jayant Patel (Boski) polled 35,501 votes
• 2022: BJP’s Govind Parmar defeated Congress-NCP alliance candidate Jayant Patel (Boski) by 26,717 votes

- Ends

Tune In