Voting for the first phase of Gujarat elections is underway in 19 districts in the Saurashtra-Kutch and southern parts of the state, with 18.95% turnout recorded till 11:00 am. These 2022 assembly polls in Gujarat are the 'semi-finals' for 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the country, state finance minister Kanubhai Desai said after casting his vote on Thursday. "After the country accepted Gujarat's model of development in 2014, these 2022 assembly elections are the semi-finals for 2024 elections," Kanubhai Desai said.
Some key constituencies in the first phase include Surat, Porbandar, Khambhalia, Rajkot, Jamnagar North, and Morbi - the site of the bridge collapse incident that claimed the lives of over 140 people in October.As many as 788 candidates from 39 parties are in the fray for this phase and around 23.9 million voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. While the Bharatiya Janata Party is hoping to safeguard its bastion from the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party is looking to make gains in its maiden outing. The second phase of the election to 93 seats will take place on December 5, with results for both phases due on December 8, along with Himachal Pradesh.