Gujarat elections 2017: South Gujarat sees highest voting, Kutch lowest

South Gujarat, which accounts for 35 seats in the state Assembly, say the highest voting, an analysis of the voting pattern in the two phases reveals. Kutch, which had gone to polling in the first phase, saw the lowest turnout.

Polling for the Gujarat Assembly elections took place in two phases. Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat went to polls in the first phase on December 9, and north and central Gujarat on December 14.

The analysis reveals that south Gujarat, which sends 35 MLAs to the Assembly, recorded 70.40 per cent voter turnout, the highest among all regions. Of 83.56 lakh voters, nearly 58.83 lakh cast their votes.

Central Gujarat, which accounts for 40 seats, was second in terms of voting with 70.04 per cent. Of 93.57 lakh voters in the seven districts of the region, 65.54 lakh exercised their right to vote.

North Gujarat, which sends 53 representatives to the Legislative Assembly, recorded 69.99 per cent voter turnout, the third highest. Of 1.29 crore registered voters in seven districts of the region, including Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, close to 90.5 lakh cast their votes.

Incidentally, Congress had done exceedingly well in central and north Gujarat in the 2012 elections, winning 44 seats as against BJP's 49. Even as it is expected to increase its tally in Ahmedabad city and open its account in Vadodara city, it is seen as losing a significant number of seats in central and north Gujarat.

Saurashtra, the most crucial zone in any election, recorded 64.42 per cent turnout on December 9. As against 1.14 crore registered voters, 73.71 lakh cast their votes. The low turnout in Saurashtra, a stronghold of the BJP in the past couple of decades, came as a surprise to many.

Kutch saw 63.95 per cent turnout when it went to polls on December 9. Over 9.13 lakh of 14.28 lakh registered voters cast their votes in Kutch. BJP had won five of the six seats in 2012, but Congress is eyeing at least 2-3 seats in these elections.

IN SOUTH GUJARAT

• South Gujarat, which sends 35 MLAs to the Assembly, recorded 70.40 per cent voter turnout, the highest among all regions. Of 83.56 lakh voters, nearly 58.83 lakh cast their votes.