The 2017 Gujarat assembly election performance of the Congress, where it won 80 seats along with allies, is the party’s best ever since 1985, the last time party took office.
The tally marks the party’s best showing in the state since 1985, when Congress won a record 149 seats, BJP 11 and Janata Party 14. In 1990, the Janata Dal (Gujarat) Party won and continued until 1995 with the support of BJP’s 67 members. JD (G)had 70 MLA in assembly and Congress 33.
In the 2017 Gujarat Assembly elections, the Congress, which had won 61 seats in the previous elections, made handsome gains, adding 16 seats to its tally. The seat tally of 77 this time is the Congress' highest since 1995 when it had won 45 seats. The party clinched 53 seats in 1998, 51 in 2002, 59 in 2007 and 61 in 2012.
The BJP’s present tally of 99 seats is the worst ever performance since 1995, when it came to power 121 seats and the Congress was reduced to 45 seats.
It is also for the first time it has slipped below the 100 mark since the BJP formed its maiden government on its own in 1995. It was in a coalition government with the Janata Dal in 1990 but the two parted ways soon.
The BJP's tally of seats was the highest in the 2002 Assembly polls fought after the communal riots when the party had won 127 seats. It had clinched 121 in 1995, 117 in 1998, 117 in 2007 and 115 in 2012.
