Although the BJP managed to retain Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat with 99 seats, it was was a close-fought battle. More so in certain constituencies where the vote margin of the winning candidate was around 2,000 or even as tiny as 170.
In seats like Dholka and Fatepura, smaller parties like NCP and BSP ate into the crucial votes which some described as snatching of near-certain victories from the Congress. The independents also scored big in some seats.
In tribal-dominated Dangs, Congress managed a slender margin of 768 over the nearest rival BJP while in Kaprada, another ST seat, the Congress sneaked victory by a mere 170 votes.
However, there were at least eight seats, where Congress candidates trailed their nearest rivals by less than 2,000 votes, including in Godhra where BJP’s CK Raulji won by just 258 votes. The NOTA votes counted 3,050 in Godhra and one independent candidate got over 18,000 votes to finish third.
The BJP had its share of narrow misses as well. Apart from the Kaprada constituency, the party lost the Mansa seat by a vote of 524 votes and the Deodar seat by 972 votes.
Here's a look at the constituencies where both the major parties won by a close margin:
| BJP-won constituencies with close vote margin | |||
| Constituency | BJP votes | Congres votes | Margin |
| Godhra | CK Raulji - 75,149 | Parmar Rajendrasinh Balvantsinh - 74,891 | 258 |
| Dholka | Bhupendrasinh Manibha Chudasama - 71,530 | Rathod Ashvinbhai Kamsubhai - 71,203 | 327 |
| Botad | Saurabh Patel - 79,623 | Kalathiya Dhirajlal Madhavjibhai - 78,717 | 906 |
| Vijapur | Patel Ramanbbhai Dhulabhai - 72,326 | Patel Nathabhai Prabhudas - 71,162 | 1,164 |
| Himatnagar | Rajendrasinh Ranjitsing Chavda - 94,340 | Kamleshkumar Jayantibhai Patel - 92,628 | 1,712 |
| Porbandar | Babubhai Bhimabhai Bokhiriya - 72,430 | Arjunbhai Devabhai Modhvadiya - 70,575 | 1,855 |
| Gariadhar | Nakrani Keshubhai Hirjibhai - 50,635 | Kheni Pareshbhai Manjibhai - 48,759 | 1,876 |
| Khambhat | Maheshkumar Kanaiyalal Raval - 71,459 | Patel Khushmanbhai Shantilal - 69,141 | 2,318 |
| Fatepura | Katara Rameshbhai Bhurabhai - 60,250 | Machhar Raghubhai Ditabhai - 57,539 | 2,711 |
| Dabhoi | Mehta Shaileshbhai Kanaiyalal - 77,945 | Patel Siddharth Chimanbhai - 75,106 | 2,839 |
The list of constituencies where Congress won by a close margin:
| Congress-won constituencies with close vote margin | |||
| Constituency | Congress votes | BJP votes | Margin |
| Kaprada | Chaudhari Jitubhai Harjibhai - 93,000 | Raut Madhubhai Bapubhai - 92,830 | 170 |
| Mansa | Patel Sureshkumar Chaturdas - 77,902 | Amitbhai Harisingbhai Chaudhary - 77,378 | 524 |
| Dangs | Gavit Mangalbhai Gangajibhai - 57,820 | Patel Vijaybhai Rameshbhai - 57,052 | 768 |
| Deodar | Bhuriya Shivabhai Amrabhai - 80,432 | Chauhan Keshaji Shivaji - 79,460 | 972 |
| Chhota Udaipur | Mohansinh Chotubhai Rathava - 75,141 | Jashubhai Bhikubhai Rathwa - 74,048 | 1,093 |
| Talaja | Kanubhai Mathurambhai Baraiya - 66,862 | Chauhan Gautambhai Gopabhai - 65,083 | 1,779 |
With inputs from PTI
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Updated Date: Dec 19, 2017 13:03:21 IST
