BJP fields Harshad Parmar for Umreth bypoll in Gujarat

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday, March 30, 2026, announced Harshad Parmar, son of former MLA Govind Parmar, as its candidate for the upcoming by-election in Umreth Assembly constituency in Gujarat.

By-elections were made mandatory following the death of Govind Parmar, who passed away on March 6 at the age of 72 after a short illness. He represented Umreth seat in Anand district.

The party’s central leadership issued a statement confirming Mr. Harshad Govindbhai Parmar’s candidature and this became his first major election contest.

The Election Commission of India has scheduled voting for April 23. Other parties, including the Congress, are yet to announce their candidates for the seat.

In the 2022 Assembly elections, four-term MP Govind Parmar had retained the seat by defeating Nationalist Congress Party candidate Jayant Patel, also known as Boski, by over 25,000 votes.

The 182-member Gujarat Assembly currently has 161 members from the BJP, 12 from the Congress, five from the Aam Aadmi Party, one from the Samajwadi Party and two Independent members. The next Assembly elections in the state are expected to be held in late 2027.