Gujarat: 69% voting, Exit Polls give Modi huge majority

Ahmedabad, Dec 17: Voting the second and final phase in Gujarat began at 8 am and ended at 5 pm. The

was in 95 constituencies - 40 in five districts of central Gujarat, 32 in five districts of north Gujarat, 17 in Ahmedabad city area and six in Kutch. Counting of votes will be taken up on Dec 20.

First phase saw a record turnout of 68 percent. And urban centres did a 70 percent polling. About 1.98 crore were eligible to vote in the second phase for which 820 candidates are in the fray. Chief Minister Narendra Modi is contesting from Maninagar in Ahmedabad.

Exit Polls give massive majority to BJP

6.15 pm: Most of the Exit Polls by media houses give Narendra Modi a third term with a huge margin, more than his last tally. The projections for the BJP government are between 120 seats and 140 seats.

Record turnout in urban areas

5.55 pm: Ahmedabad 69 percent, Gandhinagar 70 percent, Vadodara 70 percent, Mehsana 72 percent, Anand 70 percent and Kheda 70 percent.

Nearly 70 percent voting

5.40 pm: 69 percent voting was cast at the end of phase 2 polling on Monday.

Voting closes

5.05 pm: As the polling closed figures available at 4.30 pm put voting at 65 percent.

Big numbers in Ahmedabad

4.40 pm: Voting ends in few minutes time. Ahmedabad has already hit 56 percent, which has highest number of registered voters in the age group of 20-29 years at 12.18 lakh voters

Over half century

3.40 pm: By 3 pm, the voting was 56 percent in the state and Ahmedabad recorded 57 percent.

Violence and firing: BJP MLA detained

3.15 pm: BJP MLA Jetha Bharwad detained in Panchmahal district. Three persons were injured when security guards of Bharwad opened fire in Tarsang village in Panchmahal. Bharwad's guards had to open fire after the MLA came under attack by a mob. According to district collector Manisha Chandra, when Bharwad reached Tarsang, he was targetted by a large group.

Voting in Maninagar 34.5 percent

2.45 pm: Surprisingly, Chief Minister Narendra Modi's Maninagar constituency saw a record 34.5% voter turnout till noon.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Congress unit has filed a complaint against Modi for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by 'campaigning' on the election day at the polling station where he cast his vote.

"After coming out from the polling booth, the Chief Minister addressed the crowd outside and by showing the 'V' sign he appealed the voters to make victorious the BJP candidate," alleged advocate and Congress unit's legal cell member Vijay Kanara, who filed the complaint with the EC authorities.

At about 9.45 am when Modi exercised his franchise by casting vote at Nishan High School in Ranip area in the city, scores of supporters and party workers were present there.

Congress has alleged that Modi had come there with a big convoy and scores of party workers and also addressed them after he came out of the polling booth. "He is not a candidate from the area where he cast his ballot and appealing for victory of BJP candidate is a clear violation of model code of conduct and EC should immediately take action against him," said Kanara.

In Ranip, Modi expressed confidence of winning the Assembly elections and forming the next BJP government. "I thank all the voters. In this election, people of Gujarat will make a hat-trick by giving a third term to us. The people of the state will once again vote BJP to power...the sentiments of people here is giving you a clear indication of that," Modi told reporters there.

Mother's predictions for Modi

2.00 pm: My son will become Prime Minister, says Narendra Modi's mother Hiraba, after voting during second phase of elections.

Nearly 40 percent voting by 1 pm

1.42 pm: There has been a jump of eight percent in last one hour. Polling officials report 38 percent voting by 1 pm.

30 percent by noon

1.00 pm: With commercial establishments offering incentives to voters, by 12 noon the voting percentage had touched 30 percent.

Over 20 percent voting in towns

12.20 pm: According to figures available at 11 am voting in few towns were: Ahmedabad 22.5 percent, Sabarkantha 18 percent, Gandhinagar 23 percent, Anand 18 percent, Kheda 16 percent, Panchmahal 26 percent, Dahod 22 percent, Vadodara 18 percent, Kutch 15.7 percent, Banaskantha 26 percent, Patan 24 percent and Mehsana 17 percent.

Voters come in numbers, 21 percent by 11 am

11.45 am: There is a sudden surge of voters and the first three hours record a turnout of 21 percent.

Social media in overdrive

11.38 am: Maninagar and #Vote4Modi are in top trend list. Pictures and tweets about Gujarat elections flooding social media.

Shweta votes, Modi wants record turnout

11 am: Modi opponent Shweta Bhat votes in Maninagar. Contrary to most ruling parties, Modi wants record voting. This is interesting and against the common political logic. Big voter turnout has always gone against the ruling party as voters come in numbers to vote against the government. But, Modi is confident and doing the opposite.

Complaint against Modi

10.45 am: Congress legal cell files a complaint against Narendra Modi for breaching of code of conduct as the crowd had shouted slogans during his voting at Ranip.

Over 6 percent by 9 am.

10.30 am: In the first hour, polling is 6.7 percent.

CM Modi votes

9.40 am: Modi cast his vote at Nishan High School in Ranip area of Ahmedabad and says, "I want to thank the electorate and I am sure they will lead the BJP to a hat-trick win."

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