Morbi Election Results 2022: BJP's Kantilal Amrutiya wins the bridge collapse-hit constituency

Morbi Election Results 2022: BJP secured the Morbi Assembly seat of Gujarat, which falls under the Kachchh Lok Sabha segment, a few weeks after 135 lives got snuffed due to a bridge collapse in the same constituency. BJP’s Kantilal Amrutiya on Thursday won the seat after taking an unassailable lead of over 16,000 votes over his Congress rival Jayantilal Patel. Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate Pankaj Ransariya was in the third spot with over 6,000 votes.

The recent bridge collapse has drawn attention to this Patidar-dominated constituency. Morbi, which went to polls during the first phase, recorded 62% turnout.

BJP leader and Morbi's sitting MLA Brijesh Merja had to face the axe the tragedy as the party changed its candidate for the  polls. The party had given the ticket to former Morbi MLA Kantilal Amrutiya in place of incumbent legislator Merja. 

Amrutiya was reportedly awarded for his act as he saved several lives during the deadly bridge collapse in Morbi. A video had emerged showing Amrutiya rescuing people who had fallen into the river. The act earned Amrutiya nationwide praise and the sobriquet of ''Morbi hero''. While Amrutiya had won from the Morbi segment five times in the past, Jayantilal Patel lost five times to BJP rivals in the previous elections. The contest turned triangular this time with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) fielding Pankaj Ransariya, also a Patidar, but he failed to woo voters. Meanwhile, BJP is on the verge of a landslide win in Gujarat. 

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