Over 68 % voter turnout in first phase of Gujarat elections
The Assembly elections in Gujarat started off with a peaceful note on Saturday, December 9th, with the poll percentage of 63% to 73%, the highest being the Patidar bastion of Morbi. This first phase of elections were contested in 89 assembly seats and included Saurashtra and South Gujarat. The second phase of elections will be […]
The Assembly elections in Gujarat started off with a peaceful note on Saturday, December 9th, with the poll percentage of 63% to 73%, the highest being the Patidar bastion of Morbi. This first phase of elections were contested in 89 assembly seats and included Saurashtra and South Gujarat.
The second phase of elections will be held on 14th December.
A prestige battle for the BJP?
This home state of PM Modi and BJP President Amit Shah is seen as a prestige battle for the BJP party which has been in power for the last 22 years. This election has been the toughest for the party due to strong anti incumbency factors: a Patidar agitation, launched by the 24 year –old leader Hardik Patel, the Dalit agitation led by the vociferous lawyer-activist Jignesh Mewani and also the Thakur agitation. The Congress under Rahul Gandhi has been partly successful in uniting this opposition and the results on December 18th will be a keenly awaited one.