“The people of Manjalpur have stood by me just as they stood by Yogesh Kaka,” Patel said after the victory. (Express Photo)The BJP retained the Manjalpur Assembly seat in Vadodara with a reduced victory margin as compared to the 2022 Assembly polls, as party candidate Satish Patel defeated Congress’ Bhika Rabari by 30,499 votes on Monday.Rabari polled 24,585 votes. A total of 2,223 voters opted for NOTA. Following the victory, BJP workers took out a celebratory procession.The result, however, reflected a significantly narrower margin than the 2022 Assembly election, when the BJP had won the seat by nearly one lakh votes – owing to the 37 per cent voter turnout this time on voting day, July 30.After registering his win, Patel said the people of Manjalpur had extended the same support to him that they had earlier given to the Late Yogesh Patel, who was an eight-term MLA. “The people of Manjalpur have stood by me just as they stood by Yogesh Kaka,” he said after the victory.Also Read | Datia bypoll: How a divided Congress got better of BJP in prestige battleCongress candidate Bhika Rabari accepted the verdict but termed the by-election “unfair”, alleging that the electoral process was not conducted in a free and fair manner. He accused the ruling party of using intimidation, deployment of a large force and the use of muscle power had affected the atmosphere in the constituency. Rabari further alleged that complaints made by him during the campaign were ignored. He also accused some officials of acting like “BJP agents” instead of remaining neutral, saying the Model Code of Conduct was violated with impunity.“In a democracy, elections should be free and fair, but that did not happen. My supporters were discouraged from voting and the atmosphere was vitiated,” Rabari alleged. He also questioned the conduct of authorities during the polling process and said such actions posed a threat to democratic values.Despite the defeat, Rabari said he would continue to work among the people and serve the public irrespective of the election result.Story continues below this adThe bypoll for the Manjalpur Assembly constituency was held on July 30. Voting remained low at 37.05 per cent, and counting was conducted in 19 rounds on Monday.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 InstagramTags:Bharatiya Janata Party