Counting of votes for 575 seats in six municipal corporations of Gujarat started at 9 am under strict COVID-19 protocols and with heavy restrictions. The starting leads are trickling in which the BJP-backed panel seems to be ahead in Rajkot ward no. 17. The counting of votes will be held for 192 seats across 48 wards in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, for 120 seats across 30 wards in the Surat Municipal Corporation, 76 seats across 19 wards of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, for 72 seats across 18 wards in the Rajkot Municipal Corporation, 52 seats across 13 wards in the Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation and 64 seats across 16 wards in the Jamnagar Municipal Corporation.
As per recent reports, the BJP is leading in 37 seats and Congress in 10 in Ahemadabad. The BJP is ahead on the city's Jodhpur ward. The Congress is currently ahead in Ahmedabad's Danilimda. Results have begun trickling in from 9 am. Counting is still under process. "An average voter turnout of 46.1 per cent was recorded in the elections to six municipal corporations, with 52.83 lakh of the 1.41 crore registered voters exercising their franchise on Sunday," said The State Election Commission in a release on Monday.
Commenting on the Gujarat Assembly Elections, Home Minister Amit Shah said: "The BJP has emerged victorious across the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I am sure that Gujarat, from where the BJP's victory journey started, will again establish itself as a stronghold of the BJP". "I am sure that voters will turn out in large numbers and development will win," he further added.
Top leaders of the BJP, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP MP Kirit Solanki, Gujarat party chief CR Patil and party MLA Rakesh Shah cast their votes on Sunday. According to reports, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani also cast his vote in Rajkot, hours after testing negative for COVID-19. Amid polling, The Gujarat Congress lodged nine complaints with the SEC about alleged discrepancies in voters’ list, alleged attempts to intimidate voters, and alleged faulty EVM machines in Ahmedabad civic polls, according to a report of The Indian Express.
The Congress, claiming violation of poll guidelines, also submitted a complaint against Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani for flying into Rajkot with a helicopter to cast his vote, according to the report. Elections to 31 district and 231 taluka panchayats and 81 municipalities will be held on 28 February after the results are announced today.
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