Election Results LIVE UPDATES: BJP gets early leads in Gujarat, Himachal

The judgement day is here. The Election Commission has begun the counting of votes polled in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh earlier this month. The counting of votes are underway at 37 centres across the state's 33 districts, amidst tight security. Exit Polls recently showed that ruling BJP will win the Himalayan state with impressive margin and retain its power in Prime Minister Modi's home state.

All eyes are on Gujarat results as the saffron party has been ruling the state for over two decades and the prime minister comes from here and if anything goes against the BJP then it will be seen as a setback ahead of 2019 general election. While BJP did not find any resistance in Himachal, it was faced with tough challenge from Hardik Patel, distressed farmers in Gujarat.

The BJP's main rival party the Congress stitched a broad social coalition with prominent Patidar, OBC, and Dalit leaders - Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jigesh Mevani - in its bid to remove the saffron party. Patel led a long agitation of his community for reservation, while Thakor led an counter protest against inclusion of Patidars in the OBC reservation list. Mevani raised his voice against Dalit atrocities. In Himachal, the polls were conducted in single phase last month. In Gujarat, the elections were held in two phases that concluded on December 14. An average 68.41 per cent polling was recorded Gujarat. 

LIVE UPDATES

8:31: Former Congress State President Arjun Modhwadia is trailing.

8:30: Alpesh Thakur and Jignesh Mewani are trailing as of now.

8:26: BJP Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel are leading in their respective constituency.

8:25: The BJP is leading in North Gujarat.

8:20: The Congress is catchting up and now leading on 24 seats compaed to the BJP's 30 seats. 

8:15: The BJP is leading on 15 seats and the Congress is leading on 4 seats.

Facts from Gujarat
The voter turnout in the second phase of balloting on December 14, for 93 seats of North and Central Gujarat, stood at 69.99 per cent. In the first phase of polls held on December 9 for 89 seats in Saurasthra, Kutch and South Gujarat, 66.75 per cent voting was recorded. The total voter turnout this time has seen a dip of 2.91 per cent, as compared to the 2012 polls when 71.32 per cent polling was registered.

In terms of numbers, of the total 4.35 crore registered voters, 2.97 crore exercised their right to franchise in the elections held on December 9 and 14. The Election Commission data showed that the tribal-dominated Narmada district witnessed the highest voter turnout of 79.15 per cent, while Devbhumi-Dwarka of Saurashtra region recorded the lowest at 59.39 per cent.

The districts which recorded a high turnout are Tapi (78.56 per cent), Banaskantha (75.15) and Sabarkantha (74.97). The districts which saw a low turnout are Amreli (61.29), Bhavnagar (61.56) and Porbandar (61.86).

Out of the total 33 districts, 15 recorded over 70 per cent polling, while 17 others clocked between 60 per cent and 70 per cent. Only Devbhumi Dwarka district registered polling below 60 per cent.