Except scattered incidents of scuffles, polling of second and final phase for Gujarat elections completed peacefully on Thursday with around 69 per cent voter turnout. The final figures, however, will be released by the Election Commission on Friday.
Fate of 851 candidates out of 1,828, who were in the fray from 93 constituencies out of 182 spread across 14 districts of North Gujarat and Central Gujarat regions. In the first phase 89 voting for 89 assembly seats across 19 districts in Saurashtra-Kutch and South Gujarat regions. In the first phase voter turnout was 66.5 per cent.
Biggest city of the State Ahmedabad, State capital Gandhinagar and cultural capital of Gujarat Vadodara witnessed polling on Thursday which is extremely crucial for ruling BJP to retain power in Prime Minister’s home-state.
Just like first phase of polling opposition Congress party raised issue of Bluetooth connectivity with some EVMs in North Gujarat region. However, Election commission denied any tempering in EVMs with Bluetooth or without it.
Gujarat’s Chief Election Officer BB Swain said that complaints of blue tooth connection with EVMs from Ahmedabad, Panchmahal, Patan, Banaskantha, Kheda and Mahesana districts have been received. According to Swain during first phase of polling too he received similar kind of complaints but there seems to be no substance in it.
Meanwhile incidents of scuffles were reported in Hasanpur village of Visnagar Taluka falling under Mahesana constituency of North Gujarat in which 10 people allegedly got injured. In another such incident two groups clashed in Savli constituency in Vadodara district of Central Gujarat. Police rushed immediately at both the places and controlled the situation which allowed peaceful voting there.
Result of all 182 assembly seats will be declared on December 18 along with Himachal Pradesh Assembly seats that went to poll a month ago.
Post polling of second phase Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani expressed confidence of forming the next government with over 150 seats. During the voting in two phases BJP has received overwhelming support from the voters, he said adding that BJP would serve the people of Gujarat for the next five years and move ahead the state in the direction of development.
Senior Congress leader Arjun Modhvadia on the other hand claimed his party’s victory saying that Congress will form the government as people decided to throw BJP out of power.
The election seen as a “prestige battle” for Prime Minister Modi and a litmus test for the leadership of Congress President-elect Rahul Gandhi is considered crucial for the national politics ahead of the 2019 lok Sabha elections. Of the 93 seat that went to poll for the second phase BJP had won 52 and Congress won 39 in 2012 Assembly polls. Remaining two was won by others.