Prime Minister Narendra Modi today cast his vote in the second phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections in Ahmedabad. The PM was seen walking to the polling booth at Nishan Public School to a cheering crowd. He greeted the people on the way and stood in queue awaiting his turn to vote.
He then walked to his elder brother Soma Modi's house located near the polling station. PM Modi congratulated the voters and the Election Commission of India for celebrating the "festival of democracy".
"Voters in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi have celebrated this festival of democracy with great excitement and hope. I congratulate the people of the country for this celebration of democracy. I also congratulate the Election Commission for conducting elections so magnificently, developing this great tradition of conducting elections that bolsters our prestige in the world," he said while speaking to reporters.
"The people of Gujarat are discreet. They listen to everyone and it is their nature to accept what is true. And according to that nature, they are also voting in large numbers. I am also very thankful to the voters of Gujarat," he said.
PM Modi had this morning urged the people of the state to vote in large numbers. The voting began at 8 am today and will continue till 5 pm.
"Urging all those who are voting in Phase 2 of the Gujarat elections, particularly the young voters and women voters to vote in large numbers. I will be casting my vote in Ahmedabad at around 9 AM," PM Modi tweeted.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also cast his vote in Ahmedabad today.
All the 16 urban seats in Ahmedabad are crucial for the BJP, which has dominated them in elections since 1990.
Polling in the second and final phase is being conducted for 93 Assembly constituencies across 14 districts of north and central Gujarat. As many as 833 candidates from 61 parties are in the contest in the second phase of polls, whose fate will be decided by over 2.51 crore voters.
The first phase of voting for 89 seats in Kutch, Saurashtra, and South Gujarat ended on December 1, with an overall turnout of 63.31 per cent.
The first phase of the Gujarat election saw low voter turnout, which prompted the Election Commission to criticise Gujarat voters over "urban apathy".
The results of the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly election will be announced together on December 8.
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