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Gujarat Congress top brass wiped out

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BS Reporter Mumbai

In a major embarrassment to Gujarat Congress, three of its main faces in the state assembly, Shaktisinh Gohil, Arjun Modhwadia and Siddharth Patel lost miserably in the assembly elections. The only consolation for Congress in the state was Shankersinh Vaghela, who won from Kapadwanj constituency. Vaghela was the incharge of poll campaign in the election. Gohil, who was the leader of opposition in the state assembly, was defeated by BJP's candidate and minister, Parshottam Solanki from Bhavnagar (rural) assembly constituency. Gohil lost to BJP candidate by a margin of 18,554 votes. He managed to get 65,426 votes, while Solanki, a strong leader of Koli community, got 83,980 votes. It may also be noted that due to de-limitation of geographical areas this election, Koli votes increased in the Gohil's constituency. This seems to have cost heavily to the former leader of opposition and strong Congress leader. The Porbandar constituency, created a major upset for Congress as the two-time sitting MLA and state Congress president, Arjun Modhwadia was defeated by BJP's Babu Bokhiria with a margin of 17,146 votes. Modhwadia got 60,458 votes, while his BJP rival, Bokhiria got 77,604 votes. In 2007, Bokhiria was defeated by Modhwadia. Soon after the news of him losing came out, Modhwadia resigned from the post of the president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) and took the responsibility of the defeat party had to face in the state polls. "I accept voters' verdict and take responsibility of the results. I tender my resignation from d post of GPCC president," Modhwadia twitted.

 

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First Published: Dec 21 2012 | 12:06 AM IST

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