Voting over, verdict on Monday for a bitterly contested election
CURTAINS DOWN Voter turnout marginally drops in comparison to last assembly polls; both Cong, BJP sure of win
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat recorded an average 68.7% turnout in the second phase of voting for 93 seats in the state’s central and northern parts on Thursday.
With this, the overall polling in the t wo-phase election — expected to set the tone for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls — comes to around 68%, the Election Commission announced.
In 2012, the voter turnout in the last phase of polling was 71.85% and 70.75% for all the 182 seats.
While the average phase 2 voter turnout was less than the last assembly election, it was still higher than the turn out in 2007 and 2002, when the voting percentage was recorded as 59.77% and 61.54 % respectively.
In the regions that went to polls on Thursday, the BJP had 52 sitting MLAS, the Congress 39, the NCP one and one legislature was an independent.
The tribal district of Dahod recorded the lowest turnout of 60% and border district Sabarkantha, which has a significant other backward classes (OBCS) population, recorded the highest voting percentage of 77%.
This last phase sealed the fate of 851 candidates, including key leaders like deputy chief minister Nitin Patel (Mehsana), OBC leader Alpesh Thakor (Radhanpur) and Congress-supported independent Jignesh Mevani (Vadnagar).
The first phase of voting on December 9 had recorded 66.75% turnout in 89 constituencies spread across Saurashtra-kutch and south Gujarat.
The polling day started with a controversy over Prime Minister Narendra Modi turning his exit after voting into what the Congress called a roadshow. The Congress filed a complaint with the EC, alleging that the Prime Minister had violated the model code of conduct by holding a roadshow even as polling was underway. The complaint is being examined by the poll panel.
Senior BJP leaders, including its national president Amit Shah, finance minister Arun Jaitley and party stalwart LK Advani also voted on Thursday.
The EC officials said voting was largely peaceful, barring a few clashes reported from Visnagar, Savli in Vadodara and Banaskantha. As many as 10 people were injured in Hasanpur in Visnagar constituency after a clash between two groups. The police resorted to lathi charge to control the situation.
EC officials said three complains of EVMS ‘linked to Bluetooth devices’ were received, but all proved to be incorrect.
“Two complaints were made by the Congress about Bluetooth connections found in polling booths in Ahmedabad, and one was made by a lady in Vadodara. After examination, they were all found to be incorrect,” an EC official said.
Poll panel officials said no complaints were received about VVPAT machines recording incorrect votes.
North Gujarat, which com- prises of 32 seats, was the centre of both the Patidar quota agitation and the protest by the OBC communities to counter their demand. However, leaders of both the movement, Hardik Patel (Patidars) and Alpesh Thakor (OBC) had joined hands with the Congress. Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who contested as an independent from Vadgam, also got an indirect support from the Congress as the party did not field any candidate against him.
In 2012, the Congress had managed to edge past the BJP in the region, winning 17 of the 32 seats. On the other hand, urban pockets of Ahmedabad and Vadodara cities in central Gujarat, which also went to polls, have traditionally been a BJP stronghold.
The BJP fielded candidates on all 93 seats while the Congress, which has a seat-sharing arrangement with Bhartiya Tribal Party of Chhotu Vasava, had 90 candidates in the fray.
Both the BJP and Congress made claims of victory after polling ended at 5pm.
“We thank people of Gujarat for electing development instead of politics of caste and community by the Congress’’, said chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia said, “The people of Gujarat have rejected BJP rule, which was nothing but a model of hollow promises. The voters have chosen the Congress’’.