Counting for the 2026 Rajkot Municipal Corporation Elections began on April 28 under tight security, two days after polling was held peacefully. Voting took place on April 26 for 72 seats across 18 wards, with an average voter turnout of 51.1%, and results have triggered intense political interest, particularly after several high-profile candidates suffered defeats. Among the prominent names drawing attention were Ravindra Jadeja’s sister Naynaba Jadeja, radio personality RJ Abha Desai, and Sonal Der, daughter of noted Gujarati folk artist Maya Bhai Ahir. There was also a setback for former Aam Aadmi Party MLA Bhupat Bhayani, now with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
One of the closely watched contests was in Rajkot’s Ward No 2, where the Indian National Congress had fielded Naynaba Jadeja. Her candidature had drawn attention given her link to cricketer Ravindra Jadeja. However, the ward saw a clean sweep by the Bharatiya Janata Party panel, resulting in her defeat. Following the result, Naynaba Jadeja expressed disappointment and appeared to criticise the party’s local structure and support system. She said the organisation still needed strengthening and, without naming individuals, suggested some leaders who should have supported the campaign stayed away. She blamed shortcomings within the Congress organisation and local leadership for the loss.
Another notable defeat came in Ward No 10, where well-known radio personality Abha Desai contested as a Congress candidate. The BJP panel won the ward, handing a setback to one of the election’s more recognisable new faces. RJ Abha had been in the spotlight since filing her nomination, drawing interest due to her popularity beyond politics. With more than 300,000 followers on Instagram and a public profile built over 15 years in radio, she positioned herself as a candidate closely connected to people’s everyday concerns.
During the campaign, she had said many of Rajkot’s basic civic issues remained unresolved, particularly poor road conditions, potholes and rough stretches that she argued were affecting residents’ health, including back and spine problems. She had also raised concerns over persistent water shortages in parts of the city, issues she said had fuelled public dissatisfaction. Despite her communication experience and popularity, her electoral debut ended in defeat.
Outside Rajkot, another high-profile result came from Amreli district, where Sonal Der, daughter of Maya Bhai Ahir, lost in the local body elections. Sonal had entered politics on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket from the Chavand seat of Lathi Taluka Panchayat and had attracted considerable attention during the campaign. Her family has long been associated with the BJP — her brother Jayaraj Ahir has been active in the party, and her own political debut had been seen as significant. However, in the counting held on Monday, she was defeated by Shantiben Der of the Indian National Congress, marking a major upset in the constituency.
There was another surprise in Junagadh district, where Bhupat Bhayani, who had left the Aam Aadmi Party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, lost the Bhesan district panchayat seat. He was defeated by around 1,700 votes, with Dinesh Rupareliya of AAP emerging victorious. The result was seen as a setback for the BJP in the seat. Bhayani had won the 2022 Gujarat Assembly elections from the Visavadar seat in Junagadh district as an AAP candidate. In December 2023, he resigned from both the party and his MLA post before joining the BJP. In the April 2026 local self-government elections, the BJP fielded him from Bhesan, but the move did not translate into victory.
