Gujarat and Himachal election results: BJP wins a fifth consecutive term in Gujarat
It is 2-0 to the BJP, which has swept
Himachal Pradesh and has also won
Gujarat again, though by a decidedly lower margin of victory than last time.
Here are the highlights of the 2017 Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh election results:
BJP wins Gujarat but stops at 99. We hope you enjoyed our coverage.
Wait, it's not over yet
BJP Chief Ministerial candidate in Himachal, PK Dhumal, might have conceded defeat but NDTV's Sonal Mehrotra has just learnt that counting is still on for his seat - Sujanpur. The remaining 2 ballot boxes amount to 8,000 votes which could be key.
Sonal is rushing to the counting station to get more.
Congress's Punambhai Madhabhai Parmar wins in Gujarat's Sojitra by a margin of 162 votes. Yes, 162.
BJP chief Amit Shah has attributed the lower numbers to the "Congress' caste politics and low level of political discourse."
Dr Prannoy Roy is back in the studio to analyse Gujarat and Himachal results
Counting ends in 177/182 seats in Gujarat. BJP workers rejoice as the party wins in 97.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses party workers at the BJP headquarters
- I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh
- Before UP elections, they predicted our doom and said similar things in Gujarat. But you proved them wrong. These predictions don't help anyone, only hurt the country.
- These results show the country is ready for reform, rewards performance and is keen to be transformed
- These consecutive victories and that too only on the issue of development show a new direction in India's politics
- There was all kinds of talk before the Gujarat election. They hatched all kinds of conspiracies and said "just make them lose once". They also made fun of vikas (development).
- You can celebrate as much as you want after BJP loses but don't hurt the country. This government works only for development. The results today endorse this.
- Casteism was so prevalent in Gujarat that it took workers like us 30 years to free the state from its clutches.
- Some people, out of hunger for power, in the last few months tried to sow the seeds of casteism. But the people of Gujarat rejected them.
- 6.5 crore Gujaratis are united, noble and want to go ahead together. I appeal to them to embrace each other and move ahead.
- I want you to repeat after me: jeetega bhai jeetega, vikas hi jeetega. This is our motto.
"Jeet vishwas ki, jeet vikas ki" slogans at the BJP's headquarters in Delhi
"Your voice should travel from the mountains of Himachal to the shores of Gujarat", said BJP chief Amit Shah (to the party workers) after this handshake with PM Modi
BJP loses in PM Modi's hometown, Vadanagar. Congress' Asha Patel has defeated, by a wide margin, sitting BJP lawmaker Narayanbhai Lalludas Patel, who hadn't lost an election from this BJP bastion since 1995.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah at the party's headquarters in Delhi
This has been Congress's best performance in Gujarat since 1990. Take a look.
1990: 33 seats
1995: 45 seats
2002: 51 seats
2007: 59 seats
2012: 61 seats
2017: 80 seats
The party continues outside the Delhi headquarters as BJP leads in 98 seats in Gujarat and 44 in Himachal
And here's how Surat celebrated BJP's win
It is 2-0 to the BJP, which has swept Himachal Pradesh and is also set to win Gujarat again
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and other BJP leaders at the party's headquarters in Gandhinagar. Mr Rupani thanked the people of Gujarat and credited his party's win to the voters.
I own responsibility for my party's defeat: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh
News just in: BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate in Himachal, PK Dhumal, concedes defeat. NDTV's Sonal Mehrotra reports that he was surrounded by supporters who couldn't hold back their tears.
BJP chief Amit Shah addresses the media after Gujarat, Himachal win
- It is a day of great joy for the BJP
- We are forming the government in both Himachal and Gujarat
- This win is thanks to the hard work of the countless workers of the BJP and PM Modi's pro-people policies
- People of Gujarat have rejected politics of caste
- Today, the BJP has 14 Chief Ministers and is part of 5 other ruling alliances - governs 19 states in all
- Four states are going to polls next. We are sure that the BJP will win under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- In Gujarat, for vote share to not fall after so many years of rule is remarkable
- The only thing responsible for fewer seats (for the BJP) is the dragging down of the level of discourse and fueling casteism
The saffron wave
I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for their affection and trust in BJP, tweets Prime Minister Narendra Modi
BJP chief Amit Shah reaches the party's Delhi headquarters
Hardik Patel on EVMs
- Congress and other oppositions should unite against EVMs. If ATMs can be hacked, why can't EVMs?
- I congratulate the BJP for winning the polls by tampering with EVMs
- If Japan and other big nations don't rely on technology for their elections, why do we?
- Our fight against EVMs will continue
BJP has snatched Himachal from the Congress in a big win. Current tally: BJP 46, Cong 18
Ecstatic BJP supporters outside party chief Amit Shah's Delhi home (Photo: ANI)
BJP supporters in Chandigarh celebrating their party's performance (in Gujarat and Himachal) today with lots of dhol and bhangra (Photo: ANI)
NDTV's Sonal Mehrotra has this update from Himachal: With 3 rounds remaining, CM candidate PK Dhumal is still trailing by 3,000 votes. Hopes slim now. BJP state chief Satpal Satti is also trailing - by 2,000 votes.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with state BJP president Nandkumar Singh Chouhan celebrating BJP's success in Gujarat and Himachal
In Chamba, there's no stopping these BJP supporters celebrating their party's win in Himachal
Today's 2-0 result is "as expected" and "an approval of PM Modi's policies," says union home minister Rajnath Singh
"No ordinary achievement to win for the sixth time but Congress managed to give a good fight", says BJP's Sudheendra Kulkarni
Straight from Patna: NDA supporters celebrate BJP's performance in Gujarat and Himachal
Quick update from NDTV's Sonal Mehrotra in Himachal: CM candidate PK Dhumal trailing by 2,766 votes, with only 4 rounds remaining. The next one hour is crucial.
Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar: I&B Minister Smriti Irani
"The win is thanks to the leadership of Amit Shah. The trends we are seeing is a reason for celebration. It is a win for our governance and organisation. Jo jeeta wohi sikandar!"
Filmy twist at the BJP headquarters in Delhi: Ek 'Hai' Tiger posters
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath:
- I congratulate PM Modi, Amit Shah for a historic win.
- We had full faith in Gujarat's vikas model. It is unfortunate that the Congress played the 'caste' card.
- After these results, the Congress should consider whether they want to run for the 2019 elections.
Mood still subdued, many senior leaders have gone back but "Modi, Modi" chants continue, reports NDTV's Sunetra Choudhury from the BJP office in Gandhinagar
How to read today's results according to NDTV's IP Bajpai
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel says the Gujarat results could have "been different" if the Congress had aligned with his party
"The Congress did manage to tap into the anti-incumbency sentiment. It is important to understand Gujarat is not like other states. It's the BJP citadel. If they lost that, the BJP would fall of like pack of cards so they pulled out all stops. I think we are doing very good," said the Congress's Sharmishta Mukherjee.
BJP workers, who were worried in the morning as the party ran neck and neck with the Congress in early counting, are now filling the Gandhinagar office.
After trailing all day, BJP's CM candidate in Himachal, Prem Kumar Dhumal, is finally leading with 4,000 votes at the end of 11 of 14 rounds
"The next best thing for Rahul Gandhi to do is to not go on a vacation on every 20th day of the month", says BJP leader Seshadri Chari
9 out of ten candidates of the Patel community, who belong specifically to the BJP, have won
The BJP is now leading in 104 seats in Gujarat, crossing the 100-mark but 11 short of the 115 it had won in the last election.
Dr Prannoy Roy: Reality is that the BJP has won Gujarat but the question is this - who will be happier?
Popular Gujarati snacks - Dhokla, Fafda are on the menu at this BJP office in Bhopal to celebrate the party's performance in Gujarat and Himachal (Photo: ANI)
"I am not very happy with the results, BJP should have retained the number it had last time or should have improved", says BJP's Chandan Mitra
Celebrations in PM Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi. BJP is now leading in 104 of the 182 seats in Gujarat.
"Trends very clear, we will form the government in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh", says senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh
Just In: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani wins
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flashes a victory sign outside parliament as BJP leads in Gujarat and Himachal (Photo: ANI)
Congress has flown in senior leaders to avoid a Goa repeat, reports NDTV's Sunetra Choudhury
Party workers at the BJP headquarters in Delhi celebrating the leads in Gujarat and Himachal (Photo: ANI)
Himachal Pradesh Youth Congress president Vikramaditya Singh who is contesting from Shimla Rural seat, says "I am sure that in the end, Congress will be victorious and form the government."
BJP MP Anurag Thakur said that BJP is all set for the big victory in Himachal Pradesh. "People have voted for change from the corrupt Congress government," he said.
Yogendra Yadav says there is a political draw between Rahul Gandhi and PM Modi. "BJP won't be able to take away the message of continuous ascendance," he adds.
As early leads come in, Ashok Gehlot, senior Congress leader in-charge of Gujarat, said, "Can't say who will win at this moment, we will have to wait for some more time for a clear picture."