Gujarat civic election results (75 seats) LIVE Updates: Neck-and-neck fight between BJP & Congress

New Delhi: Counting of votes of Gujarat civic and Panchayat elections is currently underway with the Congress maintaining a tight contest against the ruling BJP in initial trends. Out of the 75 seats, BJP is leading in 44 seats while the Congress is ahead in 27. Others are at 4. Counting of votes for Gujarat Municipality or Nagar Palika, two district panchayat, 17 Taluka Panchayat and Gram Panchayat elections began at 9 am today. The results of by-election to six municipal seats and one seat of Rajkot Municipal Corporation will also be out today. The elections are also a test for the Congress after its impressive performance in Gujarat polls in December and more recently in bye-elections in Rajasthan. BJP currently rules 59 of the 75 municipal corporations in the state. As per details available at 1 pm, out of 2116, BJP is leading in 958 wards, Congress in 518, Independents 123, Others 46. BJP have won 6 out of 7 seats in PM Narendra Modi's home-town Vadnagar. The polls are also important for the BJP for regaining lost grounds in the state after recent assembly elections. PM Narendra Modi last Friday in a pep talk to students said even if his party loses a small election, news channels call it a ‘big blow to Modi’. "You have exams once in a year but we have them 24 hours. If we lose a municipality election in some corner of the country, then the breaking news is 'blow to Modi'," he said.