Hardik Patel Credits Gujarat Win To Removal Of Article 370

With the Bharatiya Janata Party taking a clear lead in the vote counting underway today for the Gujarat Assembly polls, BJP's Viramgam candidate and Patidar leader, Hardik Patel, attributed the party's success to work done so far.

He also highlighted the 2019 revocation of 'Article 370' from Jammu and Kashmir. "It's a win of BJP's work, the removal of 'Article 370'," said Patel, who had left Congress months ahead of the state polls and joined the BJP.

The Modi government had on August 5, 2019, scrapped the controversial 'Article 370' which provided special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

"We'll focus on the work to be done in the next 20 years. There was no competition with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Viramgam 'made' Hardik Patel win for the further development of the constituency," said Patel while hoping for his clear win from the seat.

Patel, who switched from Congress to the BJP this June, contested against Congress' Lakha Bharwad and Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Amarsinh Thakore. The Patidar quota stir leader contested the polls from his hometown, Viramgam - one of the 182 assembly constituencies of Gujarat.

Patel was leading with 73,786 votes till 1.55 pm with counting still underway.

His nearest rival the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Candidate Amarsinh Anandaji Thakor received 39,135 votes, while Congress received 28,634 votes, showed official figures just before 2 pm.

The counting of votes for the Gujarat Assembly elections began on Thursday at 8.00 am at 37 centres in 33 districts.

The Assembly elections in Gujarat were held in two phases -- on December 1 and 5. The approximate voter turnout in the second phase was 59.11 per cent and in the first 63.14 per cent. The exit polls have indicated a clear win for the incumbent BJP in Gujarat.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)