10 interesting facts why Gujarat elections have grabbed everyone's attention

Know 10 important and interesting facts about the Gujarat Assembly elections 2017.

Gandhinagar, Dec 18: Those who are closely following the Gujarat Assembly elections, the results of which will be declared on Monday, they would definitely admit that the polls in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are the most important and interesting political event of the country in 2017.

The Assembly election in the state has been dubbed as the penultimate battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress before the country votes for the all-important Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

Apart from the high-octane campaign put up by the two rival parties, there are other factors which make the elections in the state very interesting.

Here we bring you 10 interesting facts about the Gujarat Assembly elections:

1. More than half the voters in Gujarat are aged under 40.

2. Leading campaign faces for the BJP and the Congress--PM Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi--addressed 64 public rallies. In fact, Modi took part in 34 public meetings and Rahul 30.

3. The state has 48 percent female voters but had only one female chief minister, Anandiben Patel, so far.

4. While the BJP has given tickets to 11 women candidates, the Congress 10 for the Gujarat Assembly elections 2017.

5. The BJP has given tickets to 50 Patidar leaders, 58 OBCs, and 13 Dalits and the Congress has given tickets to 41 Patidars, 62 OBCs and 14 Dalits.

6. For the first time, the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines were being used for polling in Gujarat.

7. This time, for the first time, Gujarat saw all-women managed polling stations.

8. While voter turnout during the 2012 Gujarat Assembly elections was 71.32 percent, this time it was 68.7 percent, down by 2.91 percent.

9. Highest vote share Congress had at 55.55 per cent during the 1985 Gujarat Assembly elections.

10. Rahul visited more than two dozen temples as a part of his Gujarat poll campaign.

The Assembly elections for Gujarat were held on December 9 and 14. The results will be out in a few hours from now.

OneIndia News