Guj polls: CM Patel casts vote, says BJP will break old records

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel cast his vote in the ongoing second phase of the state Assembly elections and said that the BJP would break all its old records in the state and emerge victorious.

The Chief Minister cast his vote in the Shilaj Anupam School, booth number 95 in Ahmedabad.

After casting his vote, speaking to the reporters here, Patel said, "Today, the second phase of the Gujarat elections is taking place, and everyone is participating in it in a peaceful way. BJP will break its all old records and will be victorious in this election."

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote in the second phase of the Assembly elections in Gujarat and thanked the people of Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Gujarat for celebrating the festival of democracy with great pomp.

The Prime Minister also lauded the Election Commission of India for conducting the election peacefully. PM Modi made these remarks after casting his vote in Ahmedabad's Nishan Public School in Ranip where he spoke to the reporters for a brief period.

"The festival of democracy has been celebrated with great pomp by the people of Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. I want to thank the people of the country. I also want to congratulate Election Commission for conducting elections peacefully," PM Modi said.

The voting is underway for the second phase of the Gujarat Assembly polls in 93 seats across 14 districts of the state.

As many as 833 candidates from 61 parties are in the fray in the second phase of the Gujarat elections whose fate will be decided by over 2.51 crore electorates.

The 93 poll-bound seats in the second phase are spread across Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Patan, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Aravali, Mahisagar, Panchmahal, Dahod, Vadodara, Anand, Kheda and Chhota Udaipur districts.

Among the key constituencies in the final phase are Ghatlodia, which will determine the poll fate of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel; Viramgam where Patidar leader Hardik Patel is contesting as a BJP candidate, and Gandhinagar South where the saffron party has fielded Alpesh Thakor.

The Leader of the Opposition, Congress' Sukhram Rathava is contesting from Chhota Udaipur, while Lakhabhai Bharwad, Jignesh Mevani and Amee Yajnik are some other prominent Congress names from Viramgam, Vadgam and Ghatlodia seats.

The results of the Gujarat Assembly polls will be announced on December 8.