Elections to the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7.In the 2022 assembly elections, the BJP polled 52.50 per cent votes, while the combined voter share of the Congress and AAP was 40.2 per cent.Out of the total 182 assembly seats in Gujarat, the BJP bagged 156, Congress-17 and AAP-5.Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi told PTI, “AAP is a partner in the opposition INDIA alliance, and in Gujarat we are playing the role of the big brother. The alliance will certainly stop the division of votes against the BJP and will help both the Congress, which is contesting in 24 seats, and the AAP in two seats.” The Congress is helping the AAP in every possible way and to win Bharuch and Bhavnagar Lok Sabha seats, where the Arvind Kejriwal-led party has fielded its candidates in alliance with the grand old party, Doshi said.Congress state president Shaktisinh Gohil even participated in a function of the opening of the AAP Bhavnagar candidate’s election office, he said.Bhavnagar is the home district of Gohil.In the 2022 assembly polls, the AAP for the first time fielded candidates in all 182 seats and contested against both the BJP and Congress.The AAP and Congress leaders believe division of votes between the two parties played an important role in the BJP winning 156 seats, the highest ever in the Gujarat assembly elections.”The alliance this time will prevent the division of votes seen in the last assembly elections. With the candidate of only one party taking on the BJP candidate in a seat, the anti-incumbency sentiment among voters will not be divided,” Gujarat AAP leader Sagar Rabari claimed.
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