Counting of votes for Gujarat Assembly elections began at 8am on Thursday. Elections for 180 Assembly seats of Gujarat were held in two phases on December 1 and December 5 respectively. 63.14 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first phase of elections covering 89 seats across 19 districts of the state. In the second phase, 60.94 per cent voter turnout was recorded covering 93 seats across 14 districts. According to exit polls, the ruling BJP is set for historic seventh consecutive mandate in the state. However, the Congress is still hopeful of making a comeback in the state. The AAP is also hoping to make its presence felt in the state this time.
Live Updates | Gujarat Assembly Poll Results 2022
# Seat Position (Lead+Win) at 6:11 PM
Total: 182
BJP: 156
Congress: 17
AAP: 5
Others: 4
# Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accepts the mandate given by people of Gujarat and says the party will continue its struggle.
# PM Modi congratulates BJP workers on the historic win in Gujarat.
# Gujarat rejected those who engage in politics of empty promises and appeasement: Amit Shah
Reacting to the BJP registering a historic victory in Gujarat, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted that Gujarat had rejected those who engaged in the politics of empty promises and appeasement.
Shah said that he salutes the people of Gujarat for the historic win.
He tagged Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and state BJP president CR Patil in a tweet and congratulated them and all the BJP workers who worked tirelessly for the victory under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the chairmanship of JP Nadda.
# AAP plays 'villain' for Congress in Gujarat as BJP scripts massive win
As the BJP heads for a landslide win in Gujarat Assembly polls almost wiping out the opposition, the one striking feature emerging was whether the AAP played villain for the Congress.
According to the Election Commission of India's data, the BJP has won 42 seats and was leading on 115 seats at around 2.55 p.m.. The Congress has won three seats and was leading in 13. The AAP was leading in five seats, independents were ahead on three and the SP was leading on one seat.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel polled 1,98,272 votes, whereas Congress candidate got 19,911 votes till this report was filed. BJP's other faces who won the elections were Shankar Chaudhary and Kumar Kanani (Kanani defeated AAP leader Alpesh Kathiriya). BJP's Alpesh Thakor and Hardik Patel were leading in counting.
# Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel addresses BJP workers in Ahmedabad as they celebrate the party's victory in #GujaratAssemblyPolls. As per the official EC trends, BJP has won 79 seats and is leading on 79 of the total 182 seats in the state.
# People of Gujarat have faith in Modi: Rajnath
Reacting to the BJP's likely historic victory in Gujarat, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the "victory was a symbol of the faith that the people of the state had in Prime Minister Narendra Modi".
The poll results, according to the Election Commission, showed the BJP heading towards a record-breaking victory in Gujarat as the final outcome was awaited.
The Defence Minister, while talking to the media in the Parliament House complex, said that the situation was not surprising to him or the party.
# Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel and state BJP chief CR Paatil have sweets in celebration as the party sweeps the Assembly elections
# Women BJP workers in Gandhinagar celebrate by dancing as the party heads towards a landslide victory in Gujarat
# The BJP is heading for a landslide victory in Gujarat. At 11:56 am, the BJP was leading on 159 seats, Congress on 15 seats and others on 8 seats.
# BJP gets 53.33% vote share in Gujarat; AAP eats into Congress with 12%
It is a big win for the BJP and the AAP in the Gujarat Assembly elections with the former bagging 53.33 per cent vote share and the latter getting a 12 per cent share.
The Congress share has shrunk to 26.9 per cent, as per the Election Commission (EC)figures of 12 p.m.
According to the EC data, BJP was leading in 150 seats, Congress in 22 seats, AAP six, Samajwadi Party on one and independent on three seats.
# With Gujarat polls, AAP to get national party status: Manish Sisodia
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday claimed that Gujarat Assembly polls will elevate Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the national level.
"Through the votes of Gujarat, AAP is becoming national party. For the first time, politics based on education and health is getting recognition in the country. Congratulations to the people of India", Sisodia said in a tweet.
However, the early trends of vote counting indicates the saffron party is on course for its best-ever performance in Gujarat by leading in 144 Assembly seats while the main challenger Congress is far behind with a lead in only 20 seats.
# BJP set to break own records in Gujarat Assembly polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party was all set to break its records of winning in the Gujarat Assembly polls. At around 10.55 a.m., the BJP was leading on 149 seats. The Congress witnessed a steep fall and was leading only on 19 seats.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was leading in nine constituencies.
The BJP had set a target to break all previous records. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in each meeting was appealing to the voters to vote for the BJP and break all old records.
# Counting begins for Gujarat Assembly polls
Counting of ballots cast in the Gujarat Assembly elections started on Thursday across 37 centres amid tight security. For the first half an hour, ballot paper votes will be counted. Counting of EVM votes will begin from 8.30 a.m.
Chief Electoral Officer P. Bharathi said a total of 3,16,06,968 votes will be counted. There are 3 centers, Surat (2), Anand (2), and in rest all districts counting will take place one center each.
# Congress likely to shift elected MLAs out of Gujarat; BJP preparing to celebrate victory
On the eve of the counting of votes for the Gujarat Assembly elections, the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress have reportedly started preparing for the D-day. While preparations for a grand victory celebration have started at the state BJP office in Gandhinagar, Congress leaders led by the party's Gujarat in-charge Raghu Sharma are chalking out plans as in how to protect the elected MLAs from poaching.
Quoting its sources, news agency IANS reported that the Congress leaders even discussed plans to shift the elected MLAs out of Gujarat to protect them from poaching by the BJP.