As many as 12.86 million voters exercised their franchise and voted during the first phase of Gujarat assembly elections which took place on Thursday in 87 constituencies spread across Saurashtra, South Gujarat and Ahmedabad rural.
According to the final figures of polling released by the Election Commission on Friday the total voting for first phase was 71.75 per cent which means that out of the 18.2 million voters, 12.86 million voted yesterday.
The EC officials said that 72.41 per cent male, 68.90 per cent women and 20.34 per cent from others category caste their votes in the first phase to decide the fate of 846 candidates in fray.
Commenting of the historic turnout Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Friday said that the record voting in the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections will favour the BJP.
Addressing a news conference here Jaitley said that the voters thronged the polling booths due to the development work done by the BJP government in Gujarat.
“The people of Gujarat are happy with the development work done by the Modi government. They have come out in large numbers themselves and voted in favour of the BJP," the Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat said.
There are 48 seats in Saurashtra, 35 in South Gujarat and 4 seats in Central Gujarat were the polling took place in the first phase.
The BJP has pitted candidates in all the 87 seats in the first phase while Congress has 84 candidates. The GPP has 83 candidates in the first phase of the assembly polls. There are a lot of Independent candidates fighting in the first phase of polls.
The second phase of polling is on 17 December. The counting of votes is scheduled on 20 December.
Eleven minister from the Narendra Modi government are in fray from Saurashtra and South Gujarat. While presidents of the two major parties -- R C Faldu of BJP and Arjun Modhwadia from Congress are contesting from Jamnagar Rural and Porbander seats respectively. Modhwadia faces old rival and former BJP Minister Babu Bokhiria, while Faldu will have Raghavji Patel from Congress as his nearest rival.
Also, in fray is GPP president Keshubhai Patel and its general secretary Gordhan Zadafiya who are contesting from Visavadar in Junagadh and Gondal, Rajkot, respectively.
For GPP, it will be an acid test, which will decide its political future. Zadaphiya faces Jayrajsinh Parmar of BJP, while Patel who is contesting after nearly a decade, will face his former protege Kanu Bhalala of BJP who is a sitting MLA from the constituency.
