TNI Bureau: Amidst peaceful environment, the second and final phase of voting is underway today in 95 constituencies in the second phase of Gujarat Assembly elections.
Around 1.98 crore voters will decide the fate of 820 candidates including the Chief Minister ,Narendra Modi .Out of total 1,98,99,501 voters for this phase, there are 1,03,58,265 males, 95,41,157 females and 79 other voters who are likely to exercise their franchise.
Out of 820 candidates in this phase, 49 women candidates are in fray. BJP has fielded candidates on all 95 seats going to poll today, whereas Congress is contesting on 92 and GPP and Bahujan Samaaj Party (BSP) on 84 seats each, besides 284 independents in fray.
Modi, who is contesting from Maninagar constituency, exercised his franchise at Nishan High School in Ranip area of the city. Confident of returning to power, Modi said, “I thank all the voters. In this election, people of Gujarat will make a hat-trick by giving a third term to us.
Voters will decide the fate of political bigwigs like state ministers Anandi Patel, Saurabh Patel, Jaynarayan Vyas, Ramanlal Vora, Praful Patel, Pradipsinh Jadeja and Fakir Vaghela etc.from BJP.
From Congress party, its senior most leader and former Chief Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela, his son Mahendra Vaghela, former state Congress President Siddharth Patel, Shweta Bhatt, wife of suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, are in the fray.
GPP has fielded Jagruti Pandya, wife of slain BJP former MoS of Home Haren Pandya, from the Ellisbridge seat in Ahmedabad, where polling is taking place today.
BJP has fielded its candidates for all the 95 seats in this phase. While Congress is contesting 92 seats, GPP has fielded its candidates for 84 seats.
Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements on 23,318 polling stations to ensure free and fair polling.