Newly elected MLAs Rajendra Chavda of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Gopal Italia of the Aam Aadmi Party were sworn in as members of the Gujarat legislative assembly on Wednesday.
Both leaders had secured victories in the byelections held last month. Speaker Shankar Chaudhary administered the oath of office. The byelections for the two seats took place on 19 June, and the results were declared on 23 June.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, along with several state ministers, attended the oath-taking ceremony of Rajendra Chavda at the assembly. Chavda, who hails from a Scheduled Caste community, won from the Kadi assembly seat.
Italia, the AAP candidate elected from Visavadar in Junagadh district, took his oath in the Speaker’s office in the presence of state AAP president Isudan Gadhvi, general secretary Manoj Sorathia and other party members.
Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Italia said, “The Gujarat legislative assembly has been graced by great leaders and revolutionary leaders of the state and country. I consider myself lucky to be allowed to sit in such a House.”
Minister Rushikesh Patel praised Chavda’s victory, saying the people of Kadi gave a decisive mandate in his favour, enabling him to win by a margin of nearly 40,000 votes. He added that significant development had already taken place in Kadi and that Chavda would build upon this work in the remaining two-and-a-half years of the current term.
Patel said voters had given a strong response to those criticising the BJP government by electing Chavda.
The Visavadar seat had fallen vacant in December 2023 after AAP MLA Bhupendra Bhayani resigned and joined the ruling BJP. The Kadi seat became vacant on 4 February following the death of BJP MLA Karsan Solanki.
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