Here are 10 points on the Gujarat elections:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel were among those who cast their votes early this morning. Speaking to the media, the Prime Minister thanked the Election Commission, which conducted the polls, and urged the people to step out and vote.
Chief Minister Patel, too, appealed to the people to cast their votes. Home Minister Amit Shah, too, cast his vote today with his family members. Exit polls will be out at 6.30 pm.
The first phase of the Gujarat election on December 1 saw low turnout, prompting the Election Commission to criticise "urban apathy" among voters. Today, a 34.7 per cent turnout was recorded till 1 pm.
About 833 candidates contested across the 93 seats today. Among them are 16 urban seats in Ahmedabad. These seats are crucial for the BJP and it has dominated them for three decades now.
The Congress had improved its tally to four seats in the last election from two in 2012 in Ahmedabad. This time, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded candidates in all 16 seats, making it an interesting fight.
In Muslim-dominated Jamalpur Khadia seat in Ahmedabad, the entry of Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM may upset the Congress. The AIMIM candidate, Sabir Kabliwala, is a former Congress MLA who fought as an independent in 2012, resulting in a BJP win as he cut into Congress votes.
The BJP and AAP are contesting all the 93 seats. The Congress is contesting in 90 seats and its partner, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has fielded candidates in two seats.
Some of the key seats in the second phase are Ghatlodia in Ahmedabad, from where Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is contesting; Viramgam, also in Ahmedabad, from where Patidar leader Hardik Patel is fighting on the BJP's ticket, and Gandhinagar South from where Alpesh Thakor is fighting as the BJP's candidate.
Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani is contesting as the Congress candidate from Vadgam seat in Banaskantha district, and Leader of Opposition in the Gujarat assembly Sukhram Rathva is the Congress nominee from Jetpur in Chhota Udepur district.
The votes will be counted on December 8.
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