Voters in as many as eight assembly constituencies in Gujarat have endorsed the defections by their Congress legislators who had crossed over to the ruling BJP earlier this year.

As the results of by-elections in these eight seats trickled in, the BJP looked poised to win them all, including the five turn-coats the party had fielded from the same seats they had won on Congress ticket in December 2017. The Congress MLAs of these eight seats had resigned to join the BJP on the eve of Rajya Sabha elections from the state assembly.

Conceding defeat, the state Congress leadership has vowed to introspect about the causes in the near future.

Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Chavda said that the bye-elections were forced on the people by the BJP’s greed to win one additional Rajya Sabha seat.

“It is unfortunate for democracy that the people’s mandate have gone in favour of the defectors”, he lamented.

During the bye-election campaign, the state Congress leaders had highlighted the defection aspect of the BJP nominees but the ruling party had responded by quickly linking the resultant increase in Rajya Sabha seats as the defectors’ contribution to passing the laws essential to preserve the integrity of the country.

With the ruling BJP already enjoying a comfortable majority in the 182-member assembly, the winning of few more seats gives a big boost to the party while the Congress suffered yet another jolt.

Meanwhile, with the trends of counting of votes on Tuesday showing the BJP leading in all eight Assembly constituencies in Gujarat, the party workers broke into celebration and burst firecrackers at its headquarter here.

CM Vijay Rupani told that the BJP’s showing in these bypolls was just a “trailer” of the outcome to be expected in upcoming elections to local bodies and in 2022 Assembly polls.

The CM and state BJP president CR Paatil arrived at the party headquarter “Kamalam”, where they were greeted by upbeat BJP workers who thumped drums and waved the party flags.

Women activists broke into a garba gig while holding small cutouts of lotus, the poll symbol of the BJP, in their hands.

Hailing voters for exercising the franchise for the bypolls held on 3 November amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Rupani said the constituencies were spread in different regions of Gujarat and consisted of areas dominated by Muslims, Adivasis, Kolis and Patidars among others.