Visavadar: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday announced its candidates for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly by-elections on two seats, Kadi and Visavadar, scheduled for June 19, 2025. AAP Gujarat chief Isudan Gadhvi declared that Jagdish Chavda, chairman of the party’s Scheduled Caste wing, will contest from Kadi, a seat reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. From Visavadar, AAP has fielded Gopal Italia, the party’s former Gujarat president.
Italia launched his campaign with a massive Jan Aashirwad Yatra (People’s Blessing Rally) today in Visavadar, attended by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, as well as Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. A large crowd gathered in support.
Before starting his speech, Kejriwal shared a lighthearted moment with the crowd. When someone shouted “I love you,” Kejriwal replied with a playful “I love you… two… three… four,” lifting the mood of the gathering.
In a powerful address, Kejriwal praised Visavadar residents for resisting the BJP for nearly two decades: “For 18 years, you have not allowed BJP to enter Visavadar. BJP has not won here in 18 years. The BJP rules Gujarat, but not Visavadar.” He accused the BJP of insulting the people of Visavadar by resorting to unethical political tactics: “Earlier, you voted for Congress’s Harshad Ribadiya, and BJP used dirty tricks to break him and bring him into their party. In 2022, you elected Bhupat Bhayani from AAP. The BJP even bought him.”
Kejriwal then issued a bold challenge:
“BJP says, let the people of Visavadar elect whoever they want, we’ll just buy them later. So today, I have come to challenge the BJP: this time, we’ve fielded a hero-like candidate. Let BJP try to buy Gopal Italia, if they succeed, I will leave politics. Make Gopal Italia win with such a huge majority that BJP feels the sting.” “Congress works for the BJP. They sit in BJP’s pocket. In the 2022 elections, five Congress MLAs joined BJP. One AAP MLA also joined BJP,” he shared.
He urged voters to reject both BJP and Congress and support Italia: “This time, you must teach a lesson to both BJP and Congress.Gopal Italia fights against the corrupt. He fears no one. He will continue fighting not just for Visavadar but for all of Gujarat. He will go to the Assembly and raise the voices of farmers. He will make the BJP sweat, ” Kejriwal said.
Concluding his speech, Kejriwal thanked the crowd: “I see your excitement. Even in this scorching heat, you are standing in support of Gopalbhai.” With a fiery campaign kickoff and strong words from the party’s top leadership, AAP has set the stage for a fierce political battle in Visavadar – one that could shape the state’s future political narrative.