Gujarat polls live:Modi says he is confident the BJP will come back to power, flashes victory sign.
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- Category: Gujarat Political News
- Last Updated: Thursday, 22 January 2015 20:39
Gujarat polls live:Modi says he is confident the BJP will come back to power,
flashes victory sign.
Ahmedabad: 10.22 am: Chief Minister Narendra Modi says he is confident the BJP will come back to power. "I want to thank the electorate and I am sure they will lead the BJP to a hat-trick win. You can see the indication of the voters."
10.12 am: Congress rebel Narhari Amin who joined the BJP, casts his vote and says, "I think there is nothing to be tensed about. Six crore people have decided for Modi again. The people of Gujarat have already decided and today they are just making it official. The work that Modi Govt has done, people are happy with Modi. The new 14 per cent voting is also in favour of BJP. Around 117 seats came in 2007 and it will be even more 2014 elections are more important for him. Gujarat people also want him to be PM and Gujarat will also be developed. Shweta Bhatt factor will not work here. Everyone knows Keshubhai. He had no role in BJP."
9.47 am: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi casts his vote in Ranip. Modi was welcomed by thousands of people at the polling booth who were waiting only to catch a glimpse of the Chief Minister. Six per cent voter turnout is recorded till 9 am.
9.00 am: Suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt and wife and Congress candidate from Maninagar Shweta Bhatt cast their votes. The first-time candidate says, "First of all I am going to this constituency and then I will go to vote I am absolutely positive. I had never thought that I would have to do so. I am contesting for the whole society. It is very important everybody should cast vote." Sanjiv Bhatt says, "I am with her I am a part of the system. The fight is against the subversion in the system. This fight is for the Constitution of India. This is the only chance to correct the system. Even last year, I had polled for the same cause."
8.40: Ahead of casting her vote, Jagruti Pandya, wife of slain BJP leader Haren Pandya says, "I have not come up with any expectation or challenge. People know what happened to Haren Pandya. People still remember Haren Pandya."
8.00 am: Voting beings amidst tight security.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has left no stones unturned as it remains apprehensive of a possible dent in its bastion of Saurashtra, courtesy rebel Keshubhai Patel's new party, the Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP). The first phase of voting saw a record 70.75 per cent turnout, with the Congress confident that the high turnout meant a certain "regime-change".
In the second phase, the following go to polls:
Maninagar: Chief Minister Narendra Modi's constituency will see suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt's wife Shweta Bhatt challenging his might on a Congress ticket.
Naranpura: The constituency will see chargesheeted-former Gujrat home minister Amit Shah take on Congress's Jitubhai Patel.
Kapadwanj: will see Congress strongman Shankersinh Vaghela battle it out against BJP's Kanubhai Dabhi.
Akota: Saurabh Patel of the BJP will take on Lalit Patel of the Congress.
Ghatlodia: will see Anandiben Patel of the BJP against Rameshbhai Dudhwala of the Congress.
Sidhpur: will see Jay Narayan Vyas of the BJP against Balvantsinh Rajput of the Congress.
An estimated 19.8 million voters are eligible to take part in the nine-hour balloting in 95 of the 182 constituencies. The regions going to the polls include Kutch, north Gujarat and central Gujarat. "More than 70 per cent will vote in this phase too," asserted BJP Rajya Sabha member Natuji Thakor. "North Gujarat is Narendrabhai's (Modi) area. He is the son of the soil. People will vote overwhelmingly for him and the BJP." He added: "We are expecting more votes in central Gujarat than last time."
Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district has the maximum number of 18 candidates while Fatepura in Dahod district has just three - the least number. Abdasa is the largest assembly constituency (area wise) with 6,278 sq km territory and Ghatlodia has the most number of voters (285,998).
The Election Commission (EC) said 23,318 electronic voting machines will be used in as many polling stations, with 10,126 of them dubbed "critical" - an official euphemism to mean they could witness disturbances or violence.
The votes cast in Gujarat - along with those of Himachal Pradesh - will be counted on December 20.
If the BJP wins, Modi - whose image towers over that of the party and who has been chief minister since 2001 - could start playing a larger national role both in the BJP and pan-India politics. A defeat for the BJP could, however, puncture Modi's larger political ambitions and prove a great morale booster for the Congress ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
Source:Ibnlive.in.com