Gujarat Assembly Election Results 2017: Vijay Rupani wins from Rajkot West

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani defeated Indranil Rajguru of Congress in Rajkot West. After falling behind his rival for a brief moment during counting, Rupani can breathe a sense of relief knowing he has saved face.

(Click here for detailed results)

Vijay Ramniklal Rupani, 61, is the incumbent Chief Minister of Gujarat. He is in the fray to retain his Rajkot West seat.

He took charge as BJP Gujarat state president in February 2016 and retained the post till he took the office Chief Minister after the resignation of Anandiben Patel in the wake of the Patidar reservation agitation.

Indranil Rajguru of Indian National Congress won from this seat in 2012 with 60,877 votes.

Rajkot West is one of the 182 assembly constituencies of Gujarat. It is located in Rajkot district.

This seat is totally dominated by urban voters. This seat came into existence after 2008 delimitation.

Narendra Modi had contested and won from this seat in by-election held in 2002. In the 2014 bypoll, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani won from this seat with 81,092 votes.

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Rajesh Bhut as its official candidate from this seat.

About Rupani

Other offices he had held include Rajkot Mayor (1996-97), member of the Rajya Sabha (2006-12) and chairman of the Gujarat Municipal Finance Board (2013).

Rupani was born in Rangoon in Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar). His family moved to Rajkot in 1960. He has an LLB degree from Saurashtra University.

Rupani started his political life in the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He was a member of the Jan Sangh, and was jailed during the Emergency. He has been associated with the BJP since its founding in 1980.

His wife Anjali Rupani is also a member of the BJP. They have a son and a daughter, having earlier lost a son in an accident.