Gujarat election result 2017: Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani wins Vadgam seat

Mevani had termed 'Exit Polls are nonsense'. He said, "BJP is definitely going to lose this time and will not form the government."

Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who contested as an Independent candidate, has won the Banaskantha district's Vadgam constituency. He defeated BJP's Chakravarti Vijaykumar Harkhabhai. Manibhai Vaghela of Congress moved to Ider constituency to make way for Jignesh in Vadgam. Both Ider and Vadgam are reserved for SC candidates.

'Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch' leader Mevani has been leading the Dalit agitation in Gujarat following the Una Dalit flogging incident in 2016. Since he decided to contest as an independent candidate all rumours around political moves of Mewani came to an end.

Jignesh said, "I express my gratitude to the people of Vadgam for all their support. Now I will raise the voice of Gujarat's discriminated sections in the assembly."

Mevani had termed 'Exit Polls are nonsense'. He said, "BJP is definitely going to lose this time and will not form the government."

It is well known that Mevani has been critical of the ruling BJP in the state. He had no plans to join the Congress or any other party. Ahead of the Gujarat polls, Rahul Gandhi had met Mevani But Mevani stopped short of pledging support to the Congress but declared he would ask his followers not to vote for BJP.

Jignesh Mevani raised funds for his election campaign through crowdfunding website-Crowdnewsing. Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy has donated Rs 3,00,000 to his campaign

OneIndia News