Soon after the completion of voting in final phase of Gujarat elections on Monday, which recorded a record turnout of 69 per cent, chief minister, Narendra Modi congratulated the people of Gujarat for a record voter turnout.
"I congratulate you for giving the rest of India an invaluable inspiration to exercise our most sacred right in a democracy," Modi twitted soon after the second and final round of voting for the state assembly elections ended.
As per the initial estimate by the Election Commission of India, phase-2 of polling witnessed a record turnout of about 69 per cent. Voting in the first phase was a historical high at 70.75 per cent. "Your unwavering belief in our democracy and the value you attach to your vote has ensured this historic turnout," he wrote on his blog. "I never saw such fervor during elections as I saw in these Gujarat elections."
"Friends, whoever you have chosen with your vote, as a Gujarati, I feel elated and proud with the history you have created," he stated.
Terming the 2012 assembly elections as a paradigm shift from vote-bank politics to development-based politics, Modi noted that the recent assembly elections will show a new path for India's politics. "But beyond this realm of numbers and data, the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha Elections 2012 elections have offered us valuable glimpses into the sheer beauty of the Indian will and usher in a paradigm shift in how elections will be viewed in India." "It was believed that elections could be easily won by vote-bank politics - divide communities, firm up caste equations and victory is assured. Gujarat has changed that."
"It has not only shown the world that elections can be won on the issue of development but also has created a scenario where no election can move away from the development agenda. Development and elections are inseparable and Gujarat has a major contribution in making this into a reality," Modi wrote.
In an interaction with reporters later in the evening on Monday, Modi said, "Voters have broken all the past records of voting in Gujarat. Such high participation by the voters will further strengthen the belief in the country's democracy. The state has also proved that in such a stiff competition, peaceful and fair elections have taken place."
"The way voters have shown their enthusiasm for this election, it is sure that for the first time, a term called pro-incumbancy would be coined in the country's political dictionary and the political pundits have to take a note of it," he said. "I am confident of a thumping victory ahead just the same as the voting (in these elections)," Modi told reporters.
