The people of Gujarat are voting in the second phase of the Gujarat assembly election 2017. Voting started at 8 am and will end at 5 pm. 851 candidates are fighting it out. Polling is being held on 93 Gujarat assembly seats in 14 districts in north and central parts of the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led an aggressive election campaign for the BJP. Gujarat has 182 assembly seats. The BJP has been in power in Gujarat for the last 22 years. The Congress is also looking to make a comeback in Gujarat; party president-elect Rahul Gandhi led the Congress campaign for the Gujarat assembly polls. According to the Election Commission, 2.22 crore people are eligible to vote in the second phase of the Gujarat assembly election 2017. The first phase of polling was held on 89 assembly constituencies in Saurashtra and south Gujarat regions on December 9. The voting turnoutwas 68 per cent that day, according to the Election Commission.
Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer BB Swain votes in Gandhinagar
Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer BB Swain casts his vote in Gandhinagar in the
second phase of the Gujarat assembly elections 2017. Both the Congress and the
BJP ran a high-decibel campaign ahead of the Gujarat assembly elections. The
BJP has been in power in PM Modi's home state for the last 22 years. The
Congress is also hoping to win in Gujarat, and has struck a deal with Patidar
or Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani.
Deputy
Chief Minister Nitin Patel votes in Mehsana
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel has cast his vote in Mehsana's Kadi
in the second phase of the Gujarat assembly elections 2017. He is contesting
against the Congress's Jivabhai Patel on this seat. In November, Nitin Patel
accused senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal of "misleading the
Patels". Nitin Patel said Mr Sibal, a lawyer, himself had argued before
the top court in 90s against increasing the reservation quota and now he is
advocating the quota demand by young leader Hardik Patel-led outfit Patidar
Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS).
Hardik
Patel votes in Viramgam
Patidar or Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel has cast his vote in
Viramgam. Hardik Patel, who is 24 years old, is too young to contest elections.
He has pledged support to the Congress in Gujarat, where the BJP has been in
power for the last 22 years. Hardik Patel has accused the BJP in Gujarat for
doing little for the benefit of the Patidar or Patel community.
"I think Congress will win. BJP will lose. I'm confident and don't need to prepare an appeal to vote for your future," Hardik Patel said after casting his vote.
Continue
journey of development, says Amit Shah
After casting his vote in the second phase of the Gujarat assembly elections
2017, BJP president Amit Shah said, "I would like to appeal to the voters
to come out in large numbers to cast their vote to take ahead the journey of
development." He cast his vote at a polling booth in Naranpura, news
agency PTI reported. His wife Sonal Shah and son Jay Shah also cast their vote.
"I believe this tempo should be maintained, and the people should vote in large numbers to give a befitting reply to those opposing the Gujarat model," Amit Shah said. He then went to Kameshwar Shiva temple with his family members.
Stocks open in green as Gujarat votes in
second phase
The Sensex opened in the green by jumping 117 points today on value-buying in
blue-chips ahead of exit poll results for the Gujarat assembly elections 2017.
Asian stocks moved sideways, news agency PTI reported. The NSE Nifty went above
the 10,200-mark. The 30-share BSE index was up 116.70 points, or 0.35 per cent,
at 33,169.74. The Sensex had lost 402.75 in the previous two sessions,
disappointed by grim economic data and the ADB lowering India's economic growth
forecast. Analysts said optimistic buying by participants ahead of exit poll
results for the Gujarat assembly polls later in the day had a bearing on mood.
EVM stopped working for 50 minutes, says
polling officer
"The EVM in Sankheda's Sodhaliya village in Chhota Udaipur was not working
for 50 minutes, so voting was halted for that duration," polling officer
Gaurang Rana told news agency ANI on the day when the second phase of the
Gujarat assembly elections 2017 is being held. "We fixed the machine and
now the voting is underway," Mr Rana said. Some electronic voting machines
had to be replaced during the first phase of the Gujarat assembly polls on
December 9 after they malfunctioned.
Polling officer Gaurang Rana.
Arun Jaitley casts his vote in Ahmedabad's
Vejalpur
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stands in a queue at a polling booth in
Ahmedabad's Vejalpur to cast his vote in the second phase of the Gujarat
assembly elections 2017. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) and last year's
demonetisation will come into play in the mind of voters as they vote in the
Gujarat assembly polls. Arun Jaitley recently said the economic expansion
recorded in July-September period marks the reversal of the declining trend of
growth seen in the last few quarters.
"I appeal to the people of Gujarat to vote in large numbers, continue the journey of development," Arun Jaitley said.
Shankersinh Vaghela votes in Gandhinagar
Jan Vikalp leader Shankersinh Vaghela has cast his vote in Gandhinagar's Vasan
village in the second phase of the Gujarat assembly elections 2017. In 1996,
when he had walked out of the BJP, Mr Vaghela had floated the Rashtriya Janata
Party. He later merged the party with the Congress. Two decades later, Mr
Vaghela, angry at not being projected as presumptive chief minister of the
party in the Gujarat assembly polls, led a revolt against the Congress in the
run-up to the Rajya Sabha polls earlier this year.
BJP
chief Amit Shah votes in Ahmedabad's Naranpura
BJP president Amit Shah has cast his vote in Naranpura in the second phase of
the Gujarat assembly election 2017. The BJP has been in power in Gujarat, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi's home state, for the past 22 years. Amit Shah on
Wednesday criticised former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who in a video
statement said he is "deeply hurt" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's
allegations that he colluded with Pakistani guests at a dinner and discussed
the Gujarat assembly polls.
"The journey of development has begun. Vote in large numbers. Participate in this festival of democracy. The Gujarat model is talked about across the world..." Amit Shah said.
Hardik Patel's parents cast their vote
Patel Bharat Patel and Usha Patel, the parents of Patidar or Patel quota
agitation leader Hardik Patel, have cast their votes in Viramgam in the second
phase of the Gujarat assembly election 2017. Hardik Patel, who is 24 years old,
is too young to contest the Gujarat assembly polls. He has, however, pledged
support to the Congress in Gujarat.
Hardik Patel's mother speaks to reporters after casting her vote in the Gujarat assembly polls 2017.
PM Modi's mother casts her vote in
Gandhinagar
Hiraben, the mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has cast her vote at a
polling booth in Gandhinagar in the second phase of the Gujarat assembly
election 2017. Voting in the second phase of the Gujarat assembly polls will
end at 5 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also cast his vote in the second
phase today. "May god bless Gujarat," she told the reporters as she
came out after casting her vote.
Voting
starts in 93 seats
Voting has started in the second phase of the Gujarat assembly election 2017.
Voting will end at 5 pm. 851 candidates are fighting it out on 93 Gujarat
assembly seats in 14 districts. The Election Commission says 2.22 crore people
are eligible to vote in the second phase of the Gujarat assembly polls. Voter
turnout in the first phase of the Gujarat assembly election 2017 was 68 per
cent, according to the Election Commission.
"Vote
for a change of government...": P Chidambaram
"To my fellow citizens of Gujarat: Every vote matters. Just go out and
vote. Vote for a change of government after 22 years... Don't underestimate the
power of your vote. Every vote can bring about change," former Finance
Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram tweeted as the people of Gujarat
vote in the second phase of the Gujarat assembly election 2017. The first phase
of polling was held on 89 assembly constituencies in Saurashtra and south
Gujarat regions on December 9. The voting turnout was 68 per cent that day,
according to the Election Commission.
2.22 crore people are eligible to vote in the second phase of the Gujarat assembly election 2017; of them, 1.07 crore are female voters and 1.15 crore are male voters, according to the Election Commission. The highest number of voters is in the age group of 26 to 40 years at 80,91,737. The second-highest number of voters is in the age group of 41 to 60 years at 74,15,727, according to the Election Commission.
Voting for the second phase of the Gujarat assembly election 2017 started at 8 am and will end at 5 pm. The voter turnout in the first phase of the Gujarat assembly polls 2017 on December 9 was 68 per cent, according to the Election Commission. Voting will be held on 93 assembly seats in Gujarat.
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