New Delhi: Bhartiya Janata Party riding on the PM Narendra Modi wave fought back after a close contest with Congress led by Rahul Gandhi shortly after the counting of votes began for 182-seat Gujarat Legislative Assembly on Monday. After initial hiccups, the ruling BJP easily crossed the halfway mark of 92 and has now maintained a comfortable lead over its arch-rival Congress.
In view of the trends/results emerging from Gujarat, the ruling BJP is all set to retain Narendra Modi's home for a sixth straight term. Congress under Rahul Gandhi's leadership has also done exceptionally well this time and the party is quite likely to get more seats than the 61 it bagged in 2012 elections.
The trends/results are highly encouraging for Rahul Gandhi, who took charge as Congress chief on December 16 from his mother Sonia who headed the party for nearly 19 years. With the trends indicating a resounding victory for BJP in both Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, widespread celebrations have begun at the party's headquarters in Gujarat, Delhi and elsewhere.
The Assembly Elections 2017 in Gujarat were seen as a prestige battle for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a litmus test for Rahul Gandhi, under whose leadership the party fought the keenly contested polls eyeing a comeback after 22 years.
Importantly, most of the exit polls had earlier given the BJP a clear majority with more than the 92 seats required to form the government here, dashing the hopes of Congress party to make a comeback.
After five years' of Congress rule, Himachal Pradesh alternates its government yet again voting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power. As predicted by exit polls, the BJP gave Congress a crushing blow in the 2017 Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls.
The counting of votes began at 8 am on Monday showing winds in favour of BJP from the very start.
Though the early trends showed a close fight between the two parties, the margin widened with further counting results.
The result declares BJP victorious amidst 337 candidates that had contested for 68 Assembly seats in the hill state.
On November 9, Himachal recorded a turnout of 75.28 per cent after the north Indian state went to poll.
Keeping to the state's trend of ousting the government every five years, BJP takes over in 2017 again.
According to predictions made by Today's Chanakya, BJP was expected to bag 55 of the 68 seats. TOI Online-CVoter expected the saffron party to win at least 41 Assembly seats. Five exit polls foretold Dhumal's victory over Singh.
A day prior to the counting of votes in Himachal, Congress candidate and current Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh mocked the BJP for "dreaming" to win over 50 seats.
"I am waiting for the results. I am expecting that Congress party will get victory. BJP is targeting above 50 or 60 seats of total 68. This is just a dream. Let them dream. Nobody is stopping them," Singh said.
In 2012, the Congress had defeated BJP under the leadership of Virbhadra Singh with an outright majority of 36 seats; BJP lagged behind with a paltry 26 seats and its breakaway faction Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) won a single seat.
While Congress lashed out at BJP over the issues of GST and demonetisation during campaigning, the latter trained its guns at the opposition party focusing on 'corruption.'
Dhumal, the saffron party's man of the moment in Himachal Pradesh has vowed to rescue the hill state from Virbhadra government's "mafia rule". He has assured to work toward the safety of women.
Highlights* "It is a matter of happiness for us, this is the victory of development," said Union minister Smriti Irani, to ANI
* Congress's Arjun Modhwadiya loses from Porbandar to BJP's Babubhai Bokhiriya by 1855 votes
* Congress's Arjun Modhwadia trailing by 1800 votes from Porbandar
* BJP workers in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh begin to celebrate at party HQs, as trends indicate BJP's victory in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh
* Independent candidate Jignesh Mevani leading by 10785 in Vadgam
* Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Parliament flashing victory sign.
* "Will form Government in both Himachal and Gujarat with clear majority" says Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
* Controversial Congress leader Alpesh Thakore, who claimed PM Modi got fair by eating imported mushrooms, now leading by 4420 votes from Radhanpur.
* Senior BJP leader Nitinbhai Patel trailing by over 2000 votes from Mahesana.
* Opposition leaders, in both houses, to raise the issue of PM Modi's allegations against former PM Manmohan Singh of conspiring with Pakistan for Gujarat Election.
* EC Official Trends for Gujarat Election 2017: BJP crosses halfway mark, takes lead on 94 seats, Congress ahead on 64.
*The BJP's Bhupendra Patel, contesting from Anandiben Patel's seat of Ghatlodia is ahead of Shashikant Patel, a real estate businessman, who is fighting on a Congress ticket.
* EC Official Trends for Gujarat Election 2017: BJP leading in 83 seats, Congress leading in 62.
*Congress's Shaktisinh Gohil trailing by 1355 votes from Kutch's Mandvi
* Vijay Rupani extends his lead further, now leading by 7600 votes from Rajkot West.
* Jignesh Mevani who is contesting as an Independent candidate with outside support of the Congress is leading in Banaskantha
* "The mood of the people of Gujarat will lead Congress to victory, can't comment much on initial trends; let the final results come" says state party in-charge Ashok Gehlot as counting continues
* The EC's Official Trends for Gujarat show the BJP leading in 56 seats, Congress ahead in 50. NCP & Bhartiya Tribal Party also enter the fray with lead on 1 seat each.
*PAAS leader Hardik Patel's key aide, Lalit Vasoya, is contesting on a Congress ticket and is ahead in the Dhoraji seat
*Incumbent Gujarat chief minister, the BJP's Vijay Rupani leading by 1800 votes from Rajkot West
* BJP's Jitu Vaghani, contesting from Bhavnagar West seat, leading by 2200 votes
* The Sensex meanwhile opened down 700 points
* The EC's official trends for Gujarat as of 9:30 am show the BJP leading in 48 seats, Congress ahead in 40.
* BJP's Nitin Bhai Patel leading by 594 votes from Mahesana
* Congress' Arjun Modhwadia trailing by 989 from Porbandar
* The race again appear neck-and-neck, with the BJP leading in 84 seats and the Congress in 82 as of 9:25 am
* The Congress's Shweta Brahmbhatt is trailing in Maninagar, a traditional BJP bastion
* BJP's Nitin Bhai Patel leading by 594 votes from Mahesana
*Incumbent Gujarat chief minister, the BJP's Vijay Rupani trailing by 800 votes from Rajkot West
* Congress takes lead for 1st time at 9:08 am, ahead in 81 seats to BJP's 78
* The race is again getting close. As of 9 am, the BJP is up in 78 seats while the Congress leads in 66
* The BJP is leading in Bhuj and Anjar
* Mahesh Patel of the BJP is leadng in Visnagar, currently held by the BJP
*Incumbent Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani is trailing in Rajkot West. He was expected to face stiff competition as the Congress fielded its star candidate, Indranil Rajyaguru, the sitting MLA from Rajkot East
* The BJP is leading in Porbandar and Bhavnagar East seats
* The Congress is leading in Mandvi and Nadiad
*Yesterday, the Congress and Hardik Patel alleged the electronic voting machines were tampered with. Today, Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti said, "I assure you that there can be no tampering with the EVMs."
* As of 8:45 am, 45 minutes after counting commenced, the BJP is leading in 72 constituencies
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* At the same time, Congress candidates are ahead in 52 constituencies
* In a key fight, Congress's Alpesh Thakor is leading in Radhanpur
* Congress's Pradhyuman Singh Jadeja is leading in Abdasa, which is an incumbent Congress seat
* BJP's incumbent Ashok Kumar Patel is leading in Gandhinagar North
*BJP's incumbent Ahir Gokalbhai s leadng in in Anjar
* Congress's Kiritkumar Patel is leading in Patan,a seat held by BJP
*In south Gujarat Congress candidates are leading in Visavadar, Porbandar, Kutiyana, Mangrol
*In Central Gujarat, the Congress is leading in Limbdi and Chotila
* Counting of votes is being held at 37 centres across the state's 33 districts, amid tight security
