A Month After Bridge Collapse, BJP Wins Morbi Seat

As it races to its best-ever result in Gujarat, the ruling BJP has retained Morbi, where more than 130 people were killed in a horrific bridge collapse on October 30.

The BJP's Kantibhai Amrutiya, a five-time MLA, posted victory in the constituency that has been in the spotlight since the bridge tragedy, in which the local administration was blamed for violating rules while hiring a private company for repairs and maintenance.

Mr Amrutiya has won by a margin of over 62,000 votes over his Congress rival Jayantilal Patel. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s Pankaj Ransariya, who targeted the BJP over the lapses leading up to the bridge tragedy, is at number three.

Mr Amrutiya was seen in viral videos wading into the river, trying to help with rescue operations. Many dubbed him the "Morbi hero" for his gesture.

The colonial-era bridge collapsed days after it reopened following seven months of maintenance by Oreva, a company that is primarily known as a watch maker. The owners are yet to be arrested.

Morbi is dominated by Patidars.

The BJP dropped its sitting MLA, Brijesh Mishra, a former Congress leader who is also a minister in the current government.