The second and final phase of polling for the high-stake Gujarat assembly election has come to an end and all eyes are on the exit polls. The voting was held in 93 out of 182 Assembly seats across 14 districts of central Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Gandhinagar. Polling for the other 89 seats took place on December 1 with results for both phases due December 8 after counting of the votes.
Some prominent candidates in this phase were chief minister Bhupendra Patel (Ghatlodia), Patidar leader Hardik Patel (Viramgam), OBC leader Alpesh Thakor (Gandhinagar South), former minister Shankar Chaudhary (Tharad) and Jignesh Mevani (Vadgam). While Patel, Thakor, and Chaudhary are contesting as BJP candidates, Mevani is in the fray from Congress.
2.5 crore voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase of polling, including 1.29 crore men and 1.22 crore women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah cast their votes in Ahmedabad. The Prime Minister’s home state has been a BJP stronghold and the party is eyeing a record seventh term. The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP and the Congress are other key parties in the fray.
