Will get majority in Gujarat elections: Mallikarjun Kharge

ARAVALLI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday claimed that the party would get a majority in the Gujarat Assembly elections, a day after the conclusion of the first phase of polls. "We will get a majority in Gujarat elections," he said while speaking to reporters.

Congress is looking to regain power in the state cashing in the anti-incumbency and other factors including unemployment, and inflation.

Earlier on Thursday, as the voting in the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly election culminated on Thursday the overall voter turnout was recorded at 63.14 per cent. The overall voter turnout till 9 am was 4.94 per cent, at 11 am it was recorded at 19.24 per cent, at 1 pm it was recorded at 36.65 per cent and at 3 pm the overall voter turnout was recorded at 48.65 per cent.

The voting began at 8 am in 89 constituencies spread across 19 Kutch, Saurashtra and South Gujarat districts. The polling was brisk to moderate in different places in the state.

According to the data from the Election Commission of India, Narmada recorded the highest voter turnout at 78.24 per cent and Botad recorded the lowest at 57.58 per cent.

Kachchh recorded voter turnout to be 59.80 per cent, Surendranagar at 62.46 per cent, Rajkot at 60.45 per cent, Jamnagar at 58.42 per cent, Devbhumi Dwarka at 61.71, Porbandar at 59.51 per cent, Junagadh at 59.52 per cent, Gir Somnath at 65.93 per cent.

While the much-talked-about Morbi was at 69.95 per cent, Amreli at 57.59, Bhavnagar at 60.82 per cent, Bharuch at 66.31, Surat at 62.27, Tapi at 76.91, Dangs at 67.33, Navsari at 71.06 and Valsad at 69.40 per cent. The second phase of polling will be held on December 5 and results will be declared on December 8 along with that of the Himachal Pradesh elections.