Gujarat polls: People have resolved to remove BJP, says Congress' Porbandar candidate

Porbandar: The Congress candidate from Gujarat's Porbandar constituency Arjun Modhwadia on Thursday cast his vote for the first phase of polling in the Assembly election.
Before casting his vote, Modhwadia told media persons that even the Bharatiya Janata Party is aware of the 'people's resolution to remove BJP'. "People have taken a resolve to remove the BJP. The BJP knows about it that is why they changed the cabinet, including the Chief Minister, a year ago. There were allegations of corruption against them and now the new government is also functioning similarly. Hence, people are in a mood for change which they have created themselves," Modhwadia said.
He further mentioned that there is a question about who gets the public's love. "We are the ones who divide the community, not the people. People of Porbandar know me and I have worked for each community," he added
Further attacking the BJP, the Congress candidate said that "in 27 years of their governance, nine out of 11 huge industries have been shut. There is unemployment and huge business have come to a standstill here."
Earlier, Congress MLA Paresh Dhanani also cast his vote for Assembly elections in Gujarat, but in a bizarre manner as he carried a 'gas cylinder' with him on the bicycle he was riding, to underline the issues of high fuel prices, inflation and joblessness.
The polling is underway in 89 constituencies spread across 19 Kutch, Saurashtra and South Gujarat districts.
A total of 2,39,76,670 voters who will cast their votes by 5 pm today will decide the fate of 788 candidates who are in the fray for the first phase.
Out of the total number of electorates, 1,24,33,362 are males, 1,1,5,42,811 females and 497 are from the third gender. Over 4 lakh PWD voters are eligible to cast their votes.
Nearly 9.8 lakh senior citizen voters (80+) and nearly 10,000 voters who are 100 and above are eligible to vote.
According to the EC, there are 5,74,560 voters who are between 18 to 19 years of age while 4,945 voters are above 99 years of age. There are 163 NRI voters, of which 125 are men and 38 are women.
There are 14,382 voting centres, out of which 3,311 are in the urban areas and 11,071 in the rural areas.
The ongoing polling for the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections has recorded an 18.95 per cent voter turnout till 11 am.
According to the EC, there is live webcasting of 13,065 polling booths in 19 districts being done during the first phase of voting. A state-level monitoring room is also functioning at Gandhinagar by the Chief Electoral Officer. There has been continuous observation from 6.30 am till the voting completes.
As per the instructions of the Election Commission, the entire arrangement has been made. In the first phase, voting is being held at a total of 25,430 polling stations. Out of these 13,065, polling stations are webcast live.
Among prominent candidates, Gujarat Chief Minster Bhupendra Patel is contesting from Ghatlodia, AAP Chief Ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi from Khambhaliya, former Congress leader and BJP candidate Hardik Patel from Viramgam, former Congress leader and now BJP candidate Alpesh Thakor from Gandhinagar South.
AAP state president Gopal Italia is contesting from Katargam constituency, Gujarat Home Minister (State) Harsh Sanghavi from Majura, Rivaba Jadeja from Jamnagar North, former Gujarat minister Parshottam Solanki from Bhavnagar Rural, Kunwarji Bavaliya from Jasdan, Kantilal Amrutiya from Morbi and Jayesh Radadiya from Jetpur.
Former BJP MLA Madhu Shrivastav is contesting as an Independent from Vaghodia.
Voters across the state queued up outside polling booths on Thursday to elect a new state government.
Gujarat will go to the second phase of polling on December 5 and the results will be announced on December 8. (ANI)