SURAT: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state general secretary Manoj Sorathiya lost from Ward 4 in the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) elections, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in most wards, according to the latest trends as counting of votes was underway on Tuesday.AAP’s leader of opposition in the previous general body of the Surat Municipal Corporation, Payal Sakariya, lost to the BJP candidate in Ward 16.Counting of votes for 120 seats across 30 wards in the Surat Municipal Corporation is currently underway.Polling was held on Sunday for elections to 15 municipal corporations, 84 municipalities, 34 district panchayats, and 260 taluka panchayats across Gujarat. Counting began at 9 am on Tuesday, State Election Commission (SEC) officials said.The elections are being seen as one of the largest democratic exercises in the state ahead of the Assembly polls due next year, covering nearly 9,200 seats and involving over 4.18 crore eligible voters.According to SEC data, voter turnout stood at 55.1% in municipal corporations, 65.53% in municipalities, 66.64% in district panchayats, and 67.26% in taluka panchayats.
