Gujarat Elections Day 1 Sees 60% Turnout, 6% Lower Than Last Time: 10 Points

The second phase of polling will be held on December 5. The counting of votes is scheduled for December 8.

The counting of votes is scheduled for December 8

New Delhi: 89 assembly seats went to polls yesterday in the first phase of assembly polls in Gujarat. Surat is among the key areas that voted. While the BJP is pushing for the seventh consecutive term in the state, the AAP has launched a mega campaign.

Here is your 10-point cheat-sheet to this phase

1. A moderate voter turnout of 60.23 per cent was recorded in the polls covering the 19 districts of Saurashtra-Kutch and southern regions of the state, with the voting largely peaceful, officials said. The voter turnout was less than 66.75 per cent recorded in the first phase of the 2017 Assembly polls.
2. Barring a few incidents and reports of technical glitches in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at some places, the voting process, which began at 8 am, was largely peaceful, Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi said.
3. The focus of the first phase of polling was Surat, a key industrial hub also known as Diamond City. Surat is known to be a BJP stronghold and played a key role in helping the party return to power in the 2017 polls.
4. This time, however, there is a new challenger. The Aam Aadmi Party has campaigned extensively in the district, and party supremo Arvind Kejriwal has said they hope to win at least half of the 16 segments there.
5. Another constituency that will be closely watched is Morbi, where a suspension bridge collapsed on October 30, killing 135 people. The BJP-led state government has faced massive criticism over the tragedy. Investigation into the incident has revealed massive lapses in the renovation and the management of the bridge, with the high court asking tough questions to the administration.Read More on..