Gujarat Elections First Phase Polling LIVE: Congress Says EVMs Linked to Bluetooth; PM Narendra Modi Refers to Afzal Guru in Round 2 Rally

PM Narendra Modi refers to Salman Nizami's tweets to corner Congress:

Congress leader & close aide of Rahul Gandhi, Salman Nizami asks on Twitter- Modi, who is your father, who is your mother? He calls for Azad Kashmir & says 'har ghar se Afzal nikalega'. He calls our Army rapists. Does Congress want to win election with the help of such people? PM pic.twitter.com/b0y0jnPNYs

— BJP (@BJP4India) December 9, 2017

"When Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister, Muslim women pleaded with his government to abolish Triple Talaq but his advisors told him that if he did it, he would lose the elections. Those who couldn't give Muslim sisters their rights are today talking about Hindu-Muslim politics. We will bring a law against Triple Talaq in Parliament," says PM Narendra Modi.

Omar Abdullah tweets about EVM malfunction:

I hope the Election Commission can step up & address the questions that are being asked of it about the trustworthiness of voting machines.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) December 9, 2017

Omar Abdullah tweets about EVM malfunction:

I’ve been extremely sceptical of EVM related conspiracy theories but I’m being to question my unwavering faith in the machines & their infallibility.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) December 9, 2017

"Congress didn't give OBCs their constitutional rights for 25 years. We passed a law in Lok Sabha but they are holding it in Rajya Sabha, where they have majority. We have pleaded with them for the sake of my OBC brothers and sisters but they are adamant on not clearing it in Rajya Sabha," says PM Narendra Modi.

"They (Congress) gave a lollipop to Muslims, promising reservation. I asked them, if the constitution doesn't, then how will you give reservations to OBCs, SC and STs?" asks PM Narendra Modi.

Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission alleging that Porbandar's Sharda Mandir booth number 145, 146 and 147 EVM machines are connected to other devices through Bluetooth. Below is the claimed screenshot of an EVM being visible on a Bluetooth network:

"Just because I was born in a socially-backward family, they call me 'neech' (low born)? Will you tolerate it? Will you not punish them through your votes?" says PM Narendra Modi.

"They say 'Ghar ghar se Afzal nikalega' (An Afzal Guru will come out of every household). Do Muslims of Gujarat ever speak in such language?" asks PM Narendra Modi.

"Desperate Congress is abusing Narendra Modi, they don't know how much Gujarat is hurt because of their language. You must punish them through the EVM," says PM Modi.

A group of Patidar leaders are protesting outside a polling booth in Junagarh after BJP’s Reshma Patel arrived to cast her vote. She was one of the members of Hardik Patel’s PAAS who jumped ship:

A group of Patidars protest as BJP's Reshma Patel arrives to cast her vote in Junagadh. #BattleForGujarat #ElectionsWithNews18 | ANI #LIVE: https://t.co/Kh7SPbyc9R pic.twitter.com/LD6YLsYJrA

— News18 (@CNNnews18) December 9, 2017

"For 70 years, Congress ruled 70% of the country. Now, when the entire country has rejected them, How can Gujarat accept them?" says PM Narendra Modi in Lunavada.

Amid a politically charged environment during Gujarat Assembly Elections, the campaigning for which saw personal attack being thrown to-and-fro from the BJP and Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Sonia Gandhi on her 71st birthday:

Birthday greetings to Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi. I pray for her long life and good health.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 9, 2017

Rahul Gandhi seen standing in boarding queue of an IndiGo airline flight with passengers at Delhi airport. He came to the national capital in the morning from Gujarat to wish his mother on her 71st birthday: 

Amid voting in Phase 1 of Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing a rally in North Gujarat's Lunavada.

We are going to win the elections. People are tired of BJP's malpractices," says Indranil Rajyaguru:

#ElectionsWithNews18 | We are going to win the elections. People are tired of malpractices of BJP: Indranil Rajyaguru to @MeghdootS | #BattleForGujarat #LIVE: https://t.co/Kh7SPbyc9R pic.twitter.com/ZHMUB7U77D

— News18 (@CNNnews18) December 9, 2017

Gujarat is voting in the first phase of its crucial Assembly elections, recording 20.9% turnout till 11 am. Surat, Rajkot, Tapi and Botad have seen the highest voting so far, while Dangs, Narmada and Kutch have been the lowest.

Voter turnout at 11 am is 20.9%. "If EVMs are not tampered with, then Congress will win Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017," says Ahmed Patel.

"Wherever there are complaints of EVM malfunctioning, it should be dealt with immediately," says Congress leader Ahmed Patel. Meanwhile, taking to Twitter, the Rajya Sabha member said, "There are reports of EVM malfunctioning in several polling stations. Request the Election Commission to take necessary action immediately."

"We have replaced two machines and one VVPAT, you cannot call it a technical error. These machines are electronic items that can have issues. All issues have been sorted out and voting has returned to normal," says Vipul Goti, Master Trainer, Election Commission in Surat's Varaccha.

BJP MP CR Patil and family, after voting in Surat:

An EVM has malfunctioned at one booth in Vapi town of Valsad district.

Reports of faulty EVMs are coming from Porbandar, Jetpur (Rural Rajkot) and Surat. 

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Ahmed Patel has cast his vote in Bharuch's Ankleshwar. "The party will win more than 110 seats this time," said Ahmed, talking to reporters after stepping out of the polling booth.

A faulty EVM in Sardar Patel Vidyalaya booth in Surat's Varaccha has been replaced. Meanwhile, in Delhi, Congress party members are celebrating the party president Sonia Gandhi's 71st birthday.

Average voter turnout at 10 am is 15%. Reports suggest that if the trends continue, a high voter turnout by the end of the day could be on the cards.