Gujarat Elections: 56% voter turnout in the first phase, lower than 68% polling in 2017

Surat (Gujarat): The first phase of the Gujarat assembly election witnessed an estimated 56 percent voter turnout as voting ended at 5 pm. The final turnout is likely to reach close to 60 percent, which is less compared to the last election’s figure of 68 percent.

The first phase of polling was held on 89 assembly constituencies in Saurashtra and south Gujarat regions. The voting turnout till 4 pm was an average of 50 percent. The voter turnout then climbed to 56 percent by the time voting ended.

There were no untoward incidents reported from any parts of south Gujarat and Saurashtra, barring a couple of incidents where the political groups came face to face over fake voting. In Surat, the voters in the Surat North and Surat East assembly constituencies had to return home in the morning due to the power outage for almost an hour. The electricity supply was restored by the Torrent Power Surat and an investigation has been ordered by the company.

A total of 788 candidates from various political parties and independents fought it out in the first phase of the Gujarat polls in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state. Prominent candidates are Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi (Majura in Surat), Mukesh Patel, Gujarat Minister for Energy (Olpad), Purnesh Modi Gujarat Minister for Transport (Surat West), Chhotubhai Vasava seven-term MLA and founder of Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) in Jhagadia, Gujarat chief of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Gopal Italia (Katargam), Alpesh Kathiriya former Patidar agitation leader (Varachha), Paresh Dhanani (Amreli).

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been in power in Gujarat for an uninterrupted 27 years. The BJP is looking a stay in power for the sixth term, and the Congress and the new entrant AAP are also hoping for an electoral revival. The AAP is projecting itself as the main contender of the BJP in the Gujarat elections.

The Tapi district witnessed the highest voting of 72.32 percent followed by 68 percent in Narmada district, 65 percent in Navsari district, 61 percent in Surat district, 62 percent in Valsad district, 54 percent in Kutch district, 54 percent in Jamnagar, 63 percent in Bharuch, 56 percent in Morbi, 52 percent in Rajkot, etc.

Botad and Bhavnagar recorded the lowest voter turnout at 51 percent respectively till 5 pm.