Tribal heavyweight BTP founder Chhotu Vasava trailing in Jhagadia seat

Jhagadia (Gujarat): Veteran tribal leader and founder of the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) Chhotu Vasava was trailing after three rounds in Jhagadia seat in Bharuch district as counting of votes in the assembly elections commenced Thursday morning.

His one-time aide and BJP candidate Ritesh Vasava was ahead by over 6,000 votes.

Chhotu Vasava (78) contested this seat as an independent candidate this time after his son Mahesh Vasava entered the fray as the BTP candidate, but later withdrew his candidature.

Be it any party's wave, Chhotu Vasava has held on to his bastion firmly, contesting either as an independent or a candidate of Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United) or the BTP.

In the past three decades, the Congress as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have ended up as runners-up in the battle against Chhotu Vasava. The Congress had won this seat, reserved for the tribal community, in 1985 - nearly four decades back.

The BJP fielded Ritesh Vasava (46), a former associate of Chhotu Vasava.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had canvassed for Ritesh Vasava, which showed the kind of importance the saffron party had attached to this seat.

Ritesh worked with Chhotu Vasava for two decades before switching loyalties.

While the Congress had fielded Fatehsinhbhai Vasava, from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Urmila Bhagat was in the fray.

The tribal-dominated seat from Bharuch district has 2,58,955 voters.