Guj Assembly polls: 324 candidates file nomination forms; AAP leads with 70

A total of 324 candidates have filed nominations for the two-phase polls to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly since the process began on November 5, an official said on Saturday.

While 316 candidates have filed nomination forms for the first phase of polling on December 1, eight for the second phase on December 5, a release from the state's chief electoral officer said. Votes will be counted on December 8.

As per information made available by poll authorities, 70 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates have filed nominations, followed by 52 from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 48 from the opposition Congress, 21 from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), nine from the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) and several Independents.

AAP candidates have filed 14 nominations for seats in Surat district, 12 in Rajkot and eight in Kutch, it said.

Nominations have been filed in different districts such as Kutch, Surendranagar, Morbi, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Botad, Narmada, Bhavnagar, Tapi, Navsari, Surat, Dang, and Valsad as well.

It said nominations for the second phase have been filed in Mehsana, Aravalli and Ahmedabad.

As per the state's poll schedule, the last date for filing nominations for the first phase is November 14, with nominations being scrutinised a day later and the last date of withdrawal being November 17.

For the second phase, the last date for filing nominations is November 17. The nominations will be scrutinised on November 18, and the last date for withdrawal is November 21.

The BJP has ruled the state for 27 years, with its contenders being the Congress and new entrant AAP.