About 1.98 crore voters will decide the fate of 820 candidates including Modi in the second and final phase of the assembly polls that is presently underway in Gujarat.
A confident Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the people of the state would vote the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power for a third consecutive term.
Modi, who cast his ballot here in the second and final phase of the polling, said the BJP's victory would be as grand as big voters turnout in the assembly polls.
"I thank all the voters. People of Gujarat will vote the Bharatiya Janata Party to power for a third consecutive term in this election," Modi told mediapersons here.
"I am committed to the six crore Gujaratis. I live for them. I believe that I am also serving the country through my work in Gujarat. Gujarat is a part of the country and not outside it," he added, when asked to comment on his Prime Ministerial ambitions.
Several BJP leaders, including Sushma Swaraj, have openly endorsed Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate.
Modi, known to be a workaholic chief minister, has made visits to foreign countries, including China, Singapore and Japan in an endeavour to attract foreign investments in the state.
Modi, who is looking at a third consecutive term at the helm in Gujarat, is contesting from Ahmedabad's Maninagar seat. Maninagar is a Modi stronghold and he has held this seat since 2002. In 2007, he defeated the Congress candidate by around 75,000 votes.
The Congress has fielded Shweta Bhatt against Modi from Maninagar this time. Shweta Bhatt is the wife of suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt.
About seven to eight percent polling has been recorded in the first two hours in the second and final phase of the assembly polls.
About 1.98 crore voters will decide the fate of 820 candidates including Modi in the second and final phase of the assembly polls that is presently underway in Gujarat.
The voting, which is taking place for 95 constituencies in this phase, began at 8 a.m. today.
The polling, which will take place in 40 constituencies in five districts of central Gujarat, 32 in five districts of north Gujarat, 17 in Ahmedabad city area and six in Kutch district, will come to an end at 5 p.m.
The Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure free and fair polling in this phase. It has appointed to 7,256 micro-observers for the purpose.
Senior police officials from other states have also been deployed as police observers in all sensitive districts.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded its candidates for all the 95 seats in this phase. The Congress is contesting on 92 seats, while the Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) of Keshubhai Patel has fielded its candidates for 84 seats.
Around 71 percent polling was recorded in the first phase of the Gujarat assembly polls. Counting of votes in Gujarat will take place on December 20.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}