Gujarat Assembly polls: BJP, Congress cite first-phase polling to claim victory days before counting of votes

Two days before the final phase of voting in Gujarat and at least five days before votes are counted, the BJP on Saturday said it will break all the previous records in the Assembly polls to retain power whereas the Congress cited the "pattern" of the December 1 first phase voting to claim it will form the next government.

Voting for the first phase for 89 of the 182 seats was held on December 1.

The rest 93 segments will vote on December 5, campaigning for which ended on Saturday.

Also Read | Campaigning ends for second phase of Gujarat Assembly polls, voting on December 5

The counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.

Gujarat Congress incharge Raghu Sharma said the party will win 65 of 89 seats in Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat regions where voting was held in the first phase.

"The voting pattern of the first phase shows Congress is winning 65 of 89 seats. Fearing loss, the BJP was compelled to field Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for campaigning even in villages. I am confident people will give 125 seats to Congress and the party will form the next government," said Sharma.

Also Read | Gujarat polls: BJP banking on Hindutva, Modi factor in Sabarkantha amid unemployment concerns

An average voter turnout of 63.31 per cent was recorded in the first phase.

Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil said despite the low turnout compared to the first phase of elections in 2017 in the same region (Saurashtra, Kutch, and south Gujarat), the number of votes polled actually increased.

"The BJP will break all the previous records (and form a government again). We will get the highest number of seats with the highest-ever lead and vote share this time. Though percentage-wise voting was low, nearly ten lakh more votes were polled this time in comparison to the first phase of 2017. As against 1.41 crore votes, 1.51 crore votes were polled on December 1," Paatil told reporters in Gandhinagar adding the voting percentage was low as the number of voters increased.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP could win only 99 seats whereas Congress improved its tally to 77 in the 182-member House.

The BJP is seeking a seventh straight term in power.

Meanwhile, Paatil denied any plans to re-induct rebel BJP leaders even though they win the elections.

At least four rebel leaders defied the BJP's decision to not field them in the polls and contested as Independent candidates. All of them were already suspended from the party.

Sitting BJP MLA from Waghodia seat, Madhu Shrivastav is fighting as an Independent after being denied a ticket.

Three former MLAs - Dinu Patel, Dhavalsinh Zala, and Harshad Vasava - are also in the fray as Independent nominees from Padra, Bayad and Nandod seats, respectively.