The election for the Chikhlod seat under Fagvel Taluka Panchayat in Kheda district has been postponed after all four candidates voluntarily withdrew their nominations. Officials link the development to protests against the village's inclusion in the newly created taluka. A fresh notification will be issued by the competent authority.
In a rare development, all four candidates contesting the Chikhlod seat under Fagvel Taluka Panchayat in Kheda district withdrew their nominations voluntarily, leading to the postponement of the poll, officials said on Wednesday.
The candidates were Bhavana Parmar of the BJP, Sonal Parmar of Congress, and independents Ela Sharma and Dhruma Sharma. Election Officer K J Acharya stated, “We tried to explain to them that election is a process of democracy but each of them were resolute about withdrawing voluntarily. We had to accept their request… The election in the seat will not proceed and so a fresh notification will eventually be issued by the competent authority.”
The withdrawals are linked to ongoing protests by Chikhlod residents against the village's shift from Kapadvanj taluka to the newly formed Fagvel taluka. Last September, the state government created 17 new talukas, including Fagvel as the 11th in Kheda district, carved from Kapadvanj and Kathlal. Villagers argue for stronger ties to Kapadvanj for better access to education, healthcare, and markets, and staged a symbolic hunger strike in January.
BJP’s Fagvel taluka president Jignesh Patel suggested the move aligned with the village agitation. “It is possible that all candidates, including the BJP nominee, withdrew as part of the ongoing agitation. Even though our candidate had a good chance of getting elected, when the entire village takes a stand, it becomes difficult for any individual to go against it,” he said.
Elections to local self-government bodies, including nearly 10,000 seats, are scheduled for April 26 with counting on April 28.
