Ahmedabad: The contest in Chandkheda ward during the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections turned high-profile as ‘cousins’ from the Congress and BJP were pitted against each other. Congress fielded sitting woman corporator Rajshree Kesari for one of the four seats in Chandkheda ward. The BJP, meanwhile, fielded Yashkumar Jadav, son of former corporator Jayanti Jadav, for one of the four seats. As a result, candidates from the two rival parties were closely related as cousins. The political contest also reflected a long-standing rift between the two families. According to results declared on Tuesday, BJP candidate Yashkumar Jadav won the election from Chandkheda ward, while the Congress panel led by his cousin was defeated.For the past 15 years, members of the same family have been contesting elections from the Congress and BJP in Chandkheda ward. In 2010, the BJP gave ticket to Jayanti Jadav, while the Congress fielded Rajshree Kesari for a woman’s seat in the same ward. In that election, Kesari lost, whereas the BJP candidate won. At that time, the two contestants were related as uncle and niece. In the 2015 elections, Congress once again fielded Rajshree Kesari for one of the four seats from Chandkheda ward, while the BJP nominated Jayanti Jadav. Kesari won from one of the reserved seats, while the BJP bagged three seats, including that of Jayanti Jadav. As a result, both the uncle and niece who contested against each other became corporators. In the 2021 AMC elections, Congress again fielded Rajshree Kesari from Chandkheda ward, and she emerged victorious, while Jayanti Jadav was denied a ticket. In the 2026 AMC elections, the BJP fielded Yashkumar Jadav, son of former corporator Jayanti Jadav, for one of the four seats in Chandkheda ward. Congress, once again, gave the ticket to Rajshree Kesari for one of the seats. The cousins thus faced off as rivals from opposing party panels.
