AIMIM wins second seat in Bharuch Municipality

Bharuch/Surat: The Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) won the byelection of ward 10 in Bharuch Municipality on Tuesday. The seat has been a stronghold of Congress for the past four decades.
This is the second victory of the AIMIM candidate in Bharuch. During the municipal elections in 2020, Fahim Sheikh had won from Ward 10.
The election was necessitated due to the demise of Asma Sheikh, who had won on a Congress ticket from ward 10 during elections last year.
AIMIM candidate Sadikabibi Shahnawaz Sheikh won with 1,809 votes, defeating her nearest rival Fatima Fazal Ahmed Patel of BJP by a margin of 1,409 votes. Congress candidate Sayrabanu Soyeb Sheikh got 1,303 votes, whereas Aam Admi Party (AAP) candidate got just 180 ballots in her favour.
Tej Pritsingh Sokhi, president Bharuch City Congress Committee said, “The result is surprising for us as the ward was always standing behind the Congress. We will introspect and work to strengthen the party.”
Bharuch Municipality has 44 members of which 31 after from BJP, 10 of Congress, two from the AIMIM and one independent.
Meanwhile, the BJP retained Nikora seat of the Bharuch Taluka Panchayat. The election for the seat had fallen vacant following the demise of elected member Dharmistha Patel who die of Covid-19 last year.