NDTVBusinessHindiMoviesCricketLifestyleHealthFoodTechAutoAppsTrainsArtWeddings
Live TVNewsOpinionScheduleCandidatesCommentsPrevious StatsVideosTweets

Gujarat Votes Today In Closely-Watched Contest: 10 Points

Gujarat Assembly Election 2017: The first phase of elections is set to begin in 89 of the state's 182 constituencies. PM Narendra Modi has led the BJP A-listers in the party's campaign, pitching the Gujarat election as a contest between development and dynasty.

All India | Edited by | Updated: December 09, 2017 07:53 IST
45 Shares
EMAIL
PRINT
COMMENTS
Gujarat Votes Today In Closely-Watched Contest: 10 Points

Gujarat Assembly Election 2017: BJP currently holds 67 seats in the 89 constituencies that vote today

Gujarat will vote today in 89 of its 182 constituencies in the first of two phases of assembly elections. The rest of the state will vote on Thursday next. Kutch, Saurashtra and south Gujarat are voting today after a bitter and personal campaign between the Congress and the BJP. For the last two days, suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's "neech" slur against Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dominated the Gujarat campaign. PM Modi, in a tweet this morning, urged young people to come out and vote today. "Phase 1 of Gujarat polls begin. Urging all those voting today to turnout in record numbers and vote. I particularly call upon youngsters to exercise their franchise," he said. Results will be announced on December 18.
Here is your 10-point guide to the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly Elections:
  1. The 89 constituencies that vote today are in 19 districts. The ruling BJP holds 67 of these seats and the Congress 16, while the others are held by smaller parties and Independents.
  2. Saurashtra and Kutch have the maximum number of constituencies that vote in the first phase and are seen as crucial. The party that wins the most seats in these regions will be seen to have a head start.
  3. Saurashtra, located on the Arabian Sea coast, covers 11 districts of the state and has a big population of the influential Patels or Patidars, who have been demanding that they be included among castes that get benefits of affirmative action.
  4. The battle for the 12 seats in Surat, the diamond and textile hub and a BJP stronghold, is being seen as a referendum on the notes ban and new national tax GST. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has urged traders to punish the BJP, alleging that its mega reforms have brought small business to their knees.
  5. For the BJP, union ministers Arun Jaitley and Smriti Irani have defended the GST and demonetisation, trying to allay the concerns of the traders and textile merchants in Surat. "Gujarat's economic growth is the highest in India. In the last 5 years Gujarat grew at an average rate of 10% amongst large states, Mr Jaitley said today.
  6. PM Modi has led the BJP A-listers in the party's campaign, pitching the Gujarat election as a contest between "vikaswaad (development) and vanshwaad (dynasty) in an attack on Rahul Gandhi, who has been elected unopposed to take over from his mother Sonia Gandhi as Congress president.
  7. "The Congress, including their topmost leaders have abused me in deplorable language. My poor background, my family, my low caste...they have spared nothing. I have nothing to say to them, my focus is India and 125 crore Indians," said PM Modi, who has stated that his home state Gujarat will "take revenge on voting day."
  8. The most-watched contest today is in the heart of Saurashtra in Rajkot West, where sitting legislator Chief Minister Vijay Rupani takes on the Congress' Indraneel Rajyaguru. Other major contests feature senior minister Babubhai Bokhiria, the Congress' Arjun Modhwadia and former Finance and Power Minister Saurabh Patel.
  9. Young caste leaders Jignesh Mevani and Alpesh Thakore are also in the fray today. Mr Mevani, a Dalit leader, is contesting from Vadgam as an Independent candidate, with the Congress not fielding a candidate against him. Backward caste (OBC) leader Mr Thakore joined the Congress ahead of the elections and is contesting from Radhanpur.
  10. Rahul Gandhi strategically inducted Alpesh Thakore and enlisted the support of Mr Mevani and Hardik Patel, the 24-year-old face of the Patel or Patidar agitation, in his attempt to oust the BJP, in power in the state for the last 22 years.

Trending

Highlights

1
89 constituencies in 19 districts voting in Phase 1 of Gujarat elections
2
PM Modi led BJP's A-listers in campaign, pitching development vs dynasty
3
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani takes on Congress' Indranil Rajguru in Rajkot
Gujarat Assembly Election 2017Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017Gujarat assembly election first phase
................... Advertisement ...................
................... Advertisement ...................

................................ Advertisement ................................