'Gujarat Ke Logon, Aapne To Kamaal Kar Diya...': AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal after first phase voting

Ahmedabad: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal has thanked the people of Gujarat for coming out in large numbers to cast their votes in the first phase of polling for the Gujarat Assembly Election 2022 that was held on Thursday. The AAP chief took to Twitter to thank people and also assured them of a big “change” coming in Gujarat soon. “People of Gujarat, you did wonders today….. CHANGE,” Kejriwal said in his tweet.

 

गुजरात के लोगों, आपने तो आज बहुत बड़ा कमाल कर दिया।

परिवर्तन — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 1, 2022

 

The AAP chief’s tweet came shortly after the Election Commission figures showed 60.23 per cent voter turnout in the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly Elections 2022, polling for which was held in 89 seats across 19 districts of Saurashtra-Kutch and southern regions of the state on Thursday.

Despite stray incidents of violence in some areas, the polling was by and large peaceful note, according to the poll officials. While the final figures are likely to be declared by the Election Commission on Friday, highest - 73.02 per cent - turnout was recorded in Narmada district and lowest - 53.84 per cent - was in Porbandar district.

According to Election Commission`s data, till 11 PM, nearly 72.32 per cent voters voted in Tapi district, Morbi (67.65 per cent), Navsari (66.62 per cent), Valsad (65.29 per cent), Dangs (64.84 per cent) and Bharuch (63.08 per cent).

In urban constituencies like Karanj, voting was just 49.53 per cent, Choryasi (54.40 per cent), Surat North (55.32 per cent), Udhana (55.69 per cent). Whereas in rural areas, turnout in Mahuva of Bhavnagar district was 60.45 per cent, in Amreli`s Rajula constituency it was 63.30 per cent, Dhrangadhra of Surendranagar district it was 66.77 per cent. Compared with the turnout in the 2017 assembly election in the Mandvi seat of the Kutch district, the voting percentage dropped by 19 per cent, in Surat`s Mangrol seat it fell by 17 per cent.

People at certain places also boycotted voting. In Samot village of Narmada district, 1000 voters were listed, but not single voter turned up to vote, in Gir Somnath district`s Pipalva village out of total of 1700 voters, till 4 p.m., only 40 voters reached the polling booth to exercise their franchise.

While voting was underway in parts of the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed rallies in support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Kalol in Panchmahal district and Sankheda in Chhota Udepur, where polling will be held in the second phase on December 5 covering the remaining 93 seats in the 182-member Assembly. 

Former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, state BJP president C R Paatil, Rajya Sabha member Parimal Nathwani, BJP candidate from Jamnagar (North) Rivaba Jadeja, former Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani of the Congress, state Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) president Gopal Italia were among early voters. 

While Rivaba Jadeja voted in Rajkot, her husband, cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, exercised his franchise in Jamnagar. People participated enthusiastically in voting and some did not miss a chance to stand out or make a statement. Congress leader Paresh Dhanani cycled his way to a polling station with a gas cylinder tied on the back. He was not alone. There were a few more, including an AAP candidate, who did the same to make a point against inflation. 

There was a voter in Rajkot who walked to a polling station with his cow and a calf to protest against the government's "inaction" in preventing death of cattle due to the lumpy skin disease. A brother-sister duo in Surat celebrated their first-time voting after turning 18 by going to a polling station on horses. The counting of votes cast in both phases will take place on December 8.

(With Additional Agency Inputs)