The results marked a significant reversal for the BJP, which had secured a majority in the Devgadh Baria Municipality in 2025. (File Photo)After months of courtroom battles, defections, and political infighting, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suffered a setback in the high-stakes by-election for six vacant seats in the Devgadh Baria Municipality in Gujarat’s Dahod district, with voters delivering a fractured verdict that has reshaped the civic body’s political equations.The bypoll, held on July 28 after the Gujarat High Court cleared the way for polling in all six seats, saw the BJP manage only two seats, while both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won two seats each.The results, declared on Thursday evening, marked a significant reversal for the BJP, which had secured a majority in the Devgadh Baria municipality in February 2025 but failed to consolidate its position through the crucial by-election.Winning candidates in Devgarh Baria MunicipalityThe election’s biggest political story unfolded in Ward No 4, where the AAP swept both seats. Nidhi Jain, one of the petitioners challenging her disqualification under the Gujarat Provisions of Disqualification of Members of Local Authorities for Defection Act, 1986, secured a victory with 1,070 votes. Her party colleague, Sarla Meda, won the second seat with 823 votes.Also Read | In Gujarat local body poll sweep, BJP boosts strike rate; Congress, AAP eye silver liningsThe BJP retained one seat in Ward No 1 through Jayendrasinh Raul, who got 854 votes, while Sahilkumar Mohaniya delivered the party’s second win with 785 votes. The Congress, meanwhile, registered victories in Ward No 5, with Akshay Suthar polling 1,095 votes and Laxmi Harijan winning with 845 votes.As the results came in, supporters of the winning candidates celebrated with victory processions, drums, fireworks and slogan-shouting, bringing to a close an election that had become the latest flashpoint in a prolonged political battle within the municipality.Legal battle continuesThe six seats in the Devgadh Baria Municipality had fallen vacant after councillors were disqualified under the anti-defection law, triggering a legal dispute that remains pending before the Gujarat High Court.Story continues below this adThe by-election itself appeared headed for uncertainty until July 27, when a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal set aside a single judge’s interim order staying polling in two of the six seats.Observing that every stage of the election except polling had already been completed, the high court held there was no justification for halting the electoral process. At the same time, it clarified that the election and its outcome would remain subject to the final decision in the pending writ petitions challenging the disqualification proceedings.Also Read | BJP loses power in Devgadh Baria Municipality after party leaders’ rebellionThe litigation was the culmination of a year-long political crisis in the Devgadh Baria Municipality marked by BJP infighting, a no-confidence motion against the municipal president, rival factions within the ruling party, and repeated rounds of court intervention over leadership changes and councillors’ disqualification.With nearly 71 per cent voter turnout, the ballots have settled one contest but not the larger political battle. The split verdict has altered the municipality’s immediate power dynamics, even as the legal fight that triggered the by-election continues to await the Gujarat High Court’s final verdict.Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram