AMN
Gujarat is all set for the second and final phase of assembly elections on Monday. Voting will take place at 93 constituencies spread over 14 districts including Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Gandhinagar between 8 am to 5 PM.
A total of 833 contestants are in the fray including 69 women candidates. The Counting of votes for both the phases will be held on 8th of December.
Election Commission has made all the necessary arrangements to ensure peaceful elections. Over 26,000 polling booths have been set up in the poll-bound districts. Meanwhile, State Chief Electoral Officer P Bharati has appealed to the urban voters to vote in large numbers.
The political fate of many prominent leaders including Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel along with his seven ministers will be decided by voters in this phase. Other BJP leaders like Hardik Patel and Alpesh Thakur are also in the fray. Congress leaders Sukhram Rathava, Jignesh Mavani, Aam Aadmi Party leaders Bharat Singh Vakhala and Bhema Bhai Choudhury are also contesting in this phase.
Districts like Anand, Sabarkantha and Banaskantha which scripted the succeess story of white revolution with Amul brand and paved way for women empowerment in Gujarat will vote for new government tomorrow. Second phase also includes Urban area like Ahmedabad which has highest number of 21 seats in the state and tribal belt of panch Mahal and Chota Udaypur along with Vadodara which is considered cultural capital of Gujarat. Mehsana district known as political laboratory of BJP which elected one of the first MPs for party in 1984 will also decide the new political power of Gujarat. Out of the total 93 seats of this phase BJP won 51 seats while Congress bagged 39 and independent got 3 seats in last elections. Prime minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi has reached Ahemdabad to cast his vote tomorrow. Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister of state Bhupendra Patel will also vote tomorrow.