Gandhinagar: Polling underway for 93 seats spread over 14 district in the second and final phase of Gujarat Assembly elections amidst tight security arrangements at 8 am on Monday. Prestige of several leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been in the power in the state for the last 27 years, is at stake in this election.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) P Bharati told UNI that total 2,51,58,730 votes, including 1,29,26,501 male, 22,31,335 female and 895 transgenders, who are eligible to vote, will decide the electoral fate of 833 candidates, including 69 females.
He said that voting is being held at 2,904 polling stations in 8,533 polling centers in urban areas and 12,071 polling stations in 17,876 polling centers in rural areas. The polling will continue till 5 pm, he said.
Bharati said that total 1,13,325 officers and employees have been deployed on poll duty. He said that 14 districts where polling is being held include Banaskantha, Patan, Sabarkantha, Mehsana, Aravalli, Gandhi Nagar of North Gujarat and Ahmedabad, Khera, Anand, Vadodara, Dahod, Panchmahal, Mahisagar and Chhota Udepur of Central Gujarat.
While ruling BJP has fielded candidates on all 93 seats, the main opposition party Congress is contesting on 90 seats. Among others Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded candidates on 93 candidates, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on 44 seats, Garvi Gujarat Party on 25 seats, Bharatiya Tribal Party on 12 and All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) on 7 seats.
Besides, 285 independent candidates, including 21 female, are also in the fray. Prime Minister Narendra Modi casts his vote for the second phase of Gujarat Assembly elections at Nishan Public school, Ranip in Ahmedabad. (UNI)
