New Delhi: As Gujarat undergoes its first phase of polling today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the voters to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise. He also particularly requested the first time voters to come out and vote in large numbers.
“Today is the first phase of the Gujarat elections. I call upon all those voting today, particularly first time voters to exercise their franchise in record numbers,” he tweeted.
In the first leg of voting, 89 Assembly constituencies will be undergoing polls across 19 districts in the Saurashtra-Kutch coastal region and southern parts of the state. As many as 54 of the 89 constituencies are in Saurashtra-Kutch region.
788 candidates are in the fray in the first phase of polling with 70 women candidates and 339 Independents.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar also urged the voters to cast their votes.
“Gujarat is celebrating the festival of democracy today. On behalf of the Election Commission, my sincere appeal to all 4.9 crore voters of Gujarat to vote today and on 5th December during the second phase of elections. Over 4 lakh Persons with Disability voters and 9.8 lakh senior citizen voters in Gujarat,” the CEC said, quoted by news agency ANI.
“We're giving them all the facilities. It's an occasion to give equity & equality & show respect to them. Participation of over 10,000 centenarian & PwD voters should be an inspiration for all of us, especially our young voters.Over 182 polling stations being managed by PwD staff,” he added.
The contest is between three main parties — the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and the debutant Aam Aadmi Party. Gujarat is a stronghold of BJP which has held power in the state for the last 27 years. In the 2017 Assembly elections, the party had 99 seats in the state whereas Gujarat had won 77 seats.