After the successful ending of Voting for the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly election ended on 1 December with a 63 percent turnout in voting, the nominees and the public both are very curious about the 2nd phase. Today, on 5th December, the second phase of voting began at 8 Am and they are spread across 14 districts on the 93 of 182 seats being contested in the state. The Election Commission stated that an average 19.17 percent turnout was recorded on Monday till 11 am. The highest turnout was recorded in Chhotaudepur district, which recorded 23.33 percent, and 2nd highest turnout by Sabarkantha (22.20 percent), 3rd in Banaskantha (21.10 percent), Aravalli (20.84 percent), and Mehsana 20.73 percent.
Ahmedabad district recorded the lowest voter turnout of 16.81 percent among 14 communities. After this, Mahisagar recorded 17.18 percent polling.
Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote at Nishan Public School in Ahmedabad on Monday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and many other political parties member also cast their votes in Ahmedabad. The Prime Minister cast his vote at a polling station set up at a high school in Ranip locality in Ahmedabad city.
Union Home Minister and BJP MP Amit Shah exercised his franchise at the AMC sub-zonal office in Naranpura locality, Ahmedabad.
In Amritaba, 93, was excited to cast her vote in the Shilaj area of Ahmedabad. The same was the case with 101-year-old Samuben Prajapati in Vadaj. Many elderly people reached the polling stations either on wheelchairs or with the support of family members.
In the election 833 candidates, are taking part 69 of them female, and are contesting in the second phase of the election, 2.51 crore voters are eligible to give their vote. At the end of voting, all were waiting for the counting which is going to hold 8th of December.
BSF jawan votes first before getting married
A Border Security Force jawan Chhotusinh Vaghela, whose marriage was scheduled on Monday, reached the polling booth at the Duva village in Tharad constituency to cast his vote before heading to the wedding venue.
Speaking to local media, Vaghela said, “I am posted in West Bengal but I am on leave, as my marriage is scheduled today. But before the Baarat procession starts, I and my family members decided to cast our votes. I feel that as I am protecting the country’s borders, it is my duty to protect democracy also and so I gave priority to voting.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother, Hiraba cast her vote in Gandhinagar.
Kanti Kharadi ‘missing’ after alleged attack during the Poll
Congress sitting MLA and the party candidate from Data constituency of Gujarat’s Banaskantha district Kanti Kharadi has allegedly gone missing after an attack on him on late Sunday evening – a night before polling.
Banaskantha police have started searching for Kharadi, sources said.
Gujarat Congress working president Jignesh Mevani was the first to share the information about the missing party candidate on social media. “BJP candidate and party goons have attacked Congress candidate Kantibhai Kharadi, when he was returning after visiting villages and workers, his car was intercepted and attacked, it was an attempt to kill him, the vehicle has turtled and Kantibhai is still missing,” Mevani said in a tweet.
The Banaskatha district police control room in charge has confirmed that the control room has received a piece of information about an attack on Kanti Kharadi. The incident happened in the Hadad Police station area. When contacted, the investigation officer V.R. Makwana was not reachable.
The district Congress president Bharatsinh Vaghela told IANS that his efforts to reach Kharadi have failed. “Though I tried to speak and seek the intervention of the Superintendent of Police, he is not responding to my calls.”
Danta seat is reserved for Scheduled Tribe communities. BJP has fielded Latubhai Parghi against him.
The seat is set to go for polls Monday along with 92 other constituencies of the state in the second and final phase of the assembly elections in the state.