Gujarat Election Results 2017: CM Vijay Rupani wins prestige battle in Rajkot West by 53,000 votes

Bucking the initial trends, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Monday scored a comfortable win in the Rajkot West Assembly seat by by over 53,000  votes. While Rupani secured 1,31,586 votes, his Congress rival Indranil Rajguru polled 77831 votes. 

Rupani was behind Rajguru in the first hour. The Rajkot (West) is a prestigious seat for the BJP as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had contested here as Gujarat chief minister in 2002.

Also known as the CM seat in the state, Rajkot (West) has been with the BJP for over three decades. 

On Sunday, his supporters had also started a 'Havan' for his victory.

Pitted against Rajguru, one of the wealthiest leader in the fray, Rupani bucked the anti- incumbency factor and the Patel agitation that could have tilted the balance.

Largest constituency in the Saurashtra region, this seat is dominated by urban voters.

There are total 3,16,665 registered voters. As per caste equation, there are about 42,000 Kadwa Patels, 33,000 Leuvva Patels, 25,000 Brahmins, 35,000 Kshatriyas, 25,000 Baniyas and around 10,000 Jains in the constituency. 

As per the official trends provided by the Election Commission at 4:57 pm, the BJP has already bagged 75 seats while it is leading on 24 others. Congress has won in 70 Assembly constituencies while its candidates are leading on 7 other seats.

(With ANI inputs)