The first stage of voting for the Gujarat Assembly is underway. Polls are taking place for 89 constituencies in Kutch, Saurashtra and South Gujarat. These constituencies are in 19 districts of which 14 seats are reserved for tribals.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Aam Aadmi Party Chief Candidate Isudan Khadvi, Hardik Patel and Alpesh Thakur are the prominent ones seeking the popular vote in the first stage. More than 20% of people had cast their votes by noon. Voting will take place until 5.30pm.
In the first phase, 2.39 crore of voters in a quarter of a lakh booths will cast their votes for Gujarat. The first phase includes the urban constituencies that are the powerhouse of the BJP, Saurashtra, which traditionally gives unconditional support to Congress, and Surat, where the Aam Aadmi party hopes.
The political situation in many constituencies is unpredictable. The BJP estimates that if it gets the votes of the Patidar section, it can win back the backward Kutch Saurashtra region.
