Political

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated a state-wide Unity March from Junagadh on November 9, 2025, marking a significant political and cultural event in the state. The march — part of the ‘Sardar@150’ Unity initiative — was flagged off to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Junagadh Liberation Day, when the historic princely state joined the Indian Union in 1947. The event began early in the morning from Bahauddin College in Junagadh and drew thousands of participants, including students, volunteers, leaders, and citizens from various walks of life. Attendees walked through major city roads waving the national flag and chanting slogans in support of unity, harmony and national integration, echoing the legacy of Sardar Patel. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel highlighted the importance of unity at the launch, urging collective efforts toward building a harmonious, self-reliant nation, and underlining the historical significance of Junagadh in India’s integration story. The march was organised under the joint aegis of the state’s youth, sports and cultural departments along with the Junagadh district administration. The Unity March serves as a central event in a series of statewide initiatives designed to promote social cohesion, civic pride and awareness of India’s heritage during the commemorative year.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delivered a landslide victory in the 2025 Gujarat local body elections, reinforcing its dominant position across the state’s civic bodies — including a strong showing in Junagadh. In the Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) elections, the BJP comfortably won the majority of seats, taking a significant lead over rival parties and consolidating its control over local governance. Across Gujarat, the BJP achieved remarkable success by sweeping the polls in 60 out of 68 municipalities, as well as securing victories in all three taluka panchayats where elections were held. The party’s performance reflected broad public support and a well-organised campaign at the grassroots level. While the Congress saw a marginal increase in its tally — improving from its previous results — it remained far behind the BJP in most urban and rural bodies. Other parties and independent candidates claimed a small number of wards, but none matched the scale of the BJP’s victory. This resounding win reinforces the BJP’s influence in Junagadh and across Gujarat’s local self-government institutions, positioning the party strongly as civic governance continues to evolve in the state.

In Gujarat’s 2025 assembly bypolls, the Visavadar seat in Junagadh district became the centre of a high-profile triangular contest involving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). All three parties fielded strong candidates, reflecting the intense political competition and strategic importance of this constituency ahead of future elections. The BJP put forward Kirit Babulal Patel, a prominent Patidar leader with deep organisational roots in the region, aiming to break its long drought in Visavadar — a seat it hadn’t won since 2007. The Congress nominated Nitin Ranpariya, focusing on local issues and traditional support bases, while the AAP backed Gopal Italia, a well-known activist and former state party president. This triangular showdown captured significant attention as each party sought to expand its influence in Saurashtra politics. The BJP aimed to consolidate its presence beyond its traditional heartlands, Congress hoped to regain lost ground, and the AAP sought to affirm its growth outside its core regions by challenging established players. When results were announced after counting on June 23, 2025, Gopal Italia of the AAP won the Visavadar seat, defeating the BJP’s Kirit Patel by over 17,500 votes, with Congress finishing a distant third. The win marked a significant achievement for AAP in Gujarat politics and underscored the dynamic nature of local political contests. Overall, the Visavadar bypoll highlighted shifting political allegiances and the competitive landscape between national and regional parties in the state

In a concerning development for local politics and online security, fake social media accounts using the name and photographs of Junagadh MLA Sanjay Koradiya were discovered and traced back to Pakistan, according to a complaint filed with local authorities. The issue came to light when MLA Koradiya, who had already been receiving extortion threats, noticed suspicious activity involving fraudulent Facebook and Instagram profiles created in his name. The fake accounts were reported during a public interaction on Zanzarda Road, where voters brought the matter to his attention. Koradiya’s secretary, Harsh Goti, informed the Junagadh B Division Police that the impostor accounts were using the MLA’s images and name to send misleading messages that appeared designed to extract personal information, mislead the public, or potentially commit fraud — actions that could harm his public reputation. The case was immediately referred to the Junagadh Cyber Cell for investigation. Preliminary inquiries included requests for technical data from Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. Meta’s analysis revealed that the fake Facebook profiles were allegedly originating from Pakistan, while logins to the fraudulent Instagram account were traced to Indian mobile numbers. Both accounts were found to be active at the time of the investigation. The police have registered an offense under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 336(3) and the Information Technology Act, and further action is underway to identify and hold responsible those behind the misuse. This incident highlights the growing risks of political impersonation and cyber fraud in Indian politics, emphasizing the need for stronger cybersecurity measures and public awareness to safeguard digital identities.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken an important step in preparing for the upcoming local body elections in Gujarat by restructuring its organisational leadership at the grassroots level — including in Junagadh city. As part of this phased organisational revamp, the party announced new leadership teams for several key districts and cities, with Junagadh’s unit receiving fresh appointments. The new structure includes the selection of three general secretaries, eight vice-presidents, eight ministers, and office-bearers for various party wings in Junagadh. According to party sources, these changes are intended to strengthen the BJP’s grassroots network ahead of the municipal corporation, municipality, taluka panchayat, and district panchayat elections. The reorganisation reflects the party’s strategy of preparing well in advance for electoral challenges by ensuring robust local leadership and improved coordination across different wings. Senior state leaders, including Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, and BJP state president Jagdish Vishwakarma, participated in discussions with national leadership in New Delhi before finalising these organisational updates. This organisational push highlights Junagadh’s political significance in the upcoming local polls and the BJP’s focus on consolidating its support base through strengthened party structures at the city level.