Gujarat election results: BJP seen winning 100 seats, Congress may bag 79

Vijay Rupani, who was earlier trailing, is now leading over Congress' Indranil Rajyaguru in Rajkot West seat

Election Results 2017 : The BJP was on its way to retain power in Gujarat for the record sixth time, as the party was leading in 100 seats and won four others, according to the latest counting figures.

The Congress emerged victorious in one seat and was ahead of rivals in 80 others.

The Election Commission has so far declared five results, of which four seats have been won by the BJP and one by the Congress.

ALSO READ: LIVE updates: BJP bags Gujarat, Himachal; Rahul says satisfied with result

The Election Commission figures showed that the NCP was leading in one seat and the Bhartiya Tribal Party of Chottu Vasava in two seats. Three independents were also leading.

To form a government in the state, a party or a coalition needs at least 92 seats in the 182-member Assembly.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was earlier trailing after the count of postal ballots, is now leading over Congress' Indranil Rajyaguru in Rajkot West seat.

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who was also trailing from Mehsana against Congress candidate Jivabhai Patel earlier, is now leading by a margin of over 7,000 votes.

ALSO READ: MARKETS LIVE: Indices recover as BJP leads in Gujarat; Nifty above 10,400

BJP leader and state fisheries minister Babubhai Bokhiriya defeated senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia in Porbandar.

BJP's Suresh Patel defeated Congress candidate Shweta Brahmbhatt in Ahmedabad's Maninagar, the former constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by 75,199 votes.

In Mahuva seat of Bhavnagar, BJP's Raghav Makwana defeated independent Kanu Kalsaria.

The BJP also won the Umbergaon seat in Valsad.

The Congress won Mahudha seat in Kheda district where its nominee Indrajitsinh Parmar defeated BJP's Bharatsinh Parmar by 13,601 votes.

Click here to read→ Gujarat, Himachal Elections Results

Gujarat, Himachal election result LIVE: BJP leads; Rupani wins Rajkot West

Gujarat, Himachal election result LIVE: BJP leads; Rupani wins Rajkot West

ElectionResultsLive2017: The BJP is leading in 107 seats, while the Congress nominees are ahead in 74 of Gujarat’s 182 seats, show the latest trends.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who earlier trailed behind his Congress rival Indranil Rajyaguru in early trends, has now taken an unassailable lead in the Rajkot West seat.

The elections for 182-seat Assembly were held on December 9 and 14, after an acrimonious campaign, which was dominated by a face-off between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. In the 2012 elections, the BJP had won 115 seats while the Congress emerged victorious on 61 seats. The BJP has been in power in the state since 1995, winning consecutive elections in the home state of Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

ALSO READ: Modi magic intact hint exit polls; BJP predicted to win Himachal, Gujarat

ALSO READ: Counting of votes for Himachal Polls today

The exit polls also predicted that the BJP would wrest Himachal Pradesh from the Congress. As reported earlier, all survey agencies, barring ABP-CSDS, predicted a sweep for the BJP in the hill state, where the elections were held on November 9. The ABP-CSDS survey predicted a BJP victory, with the Congress running it close in the 68-member Assembly.

ALSO READ: Exit polls predict BJP victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh

CATCH ALL THE LIVE UPDATES
11:46 AM
The BJP cannot be completely happy, says Rajeev Rai, Spokesperson SP
11:46 AM
As per the Election Commission data, BJP has 49% vote share while Congress has 41.7% in Gujarat assembly elections
11:44 AM
Rahul Gandhi, good show, says BJP ally Shiv Sena
11:42 AM
Congress wins Kasumpti seat in Himachal with its candidate Anirudh Singh defeating BJP’s Vijay Jyoti by a margin of 9,397 votes
11:42 AM
On the Congress giving a neck and neck fight to the BJP in the Gujarat Assembly elections, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath says it is the ‘beginning of return of the Congress’.
11:42 AM
BJP’s Pradipsinh Jadeja wins Vatva
11:39 AM
Congress’ Arjun Modhwadia trailing by 1800 votes from Porbandar

Click here to read → Gujarat, Himachal Election Results 2017

LIVE updates: BJP takes lead in Gujarat, Himachal polls; Modi magic intact

The results of the Gujarat Assembly election 2017 for 182 seats and the Himachal Pradesh Assembly election for 68 seats will be announced after counting of votes today

ElectionResults2017 : Counting of votes for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections has started. The result will be announced today itself. The 182 constituencies in the Gujarat Assembly had gone to the polls in two phases – on December 9 and 14. The electors in Himachal Pradesh’s 68 seats had voted to elect their legislators for their respective constituencies on November 9
ALSO READ: All eyes on Gujarat as stage set for counting today

In Gujarat, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking a sixth straight term in office, the Congress is aiming to stage a comeback to power after being in the Opposition for over two decades. The counting of votes are being held at 37 centres across the state's 33 districts amid tight security.

ALSO READ: Counting of votes for Himachal Polls today
In Himachal Pradesh, the fate of 337 candidates, including Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his predecessor Prem Kumar Dhumal, will be known on Monday as counting of votes is taken up in the state, where traditional rivals BJP and Congress have both contested in all 68 seats.

The hill state witnessed a record 75.28 per cent turnout and pollsters have predicted a landslide BJP victory.

ALSO READ: Modi magic intact hint exit polls; BJP predicted to win Himachal, Gujarat
As reported earlier, three separate television exit polls at the close of the final round of voting on Thursday showed the BJP winning more than 100 seats in the 182-member state house, well clear of the half-way mark of 92 required to rule. Congress would likely win 70-74 seats, the polls showed, better than in the past but not enough to oust the BJP from power. Another exit poll, conducted by a Today’s Chanakya group, gave the BJP a two-thirds majority.

ALSO READ: Exit polls give BJP clear majority in Gujarat
The exit polls also predicted that the BJP would wrest Himachal Pradesh from the Congress. As reported earlier, all survey agencies, barring ABP-CSDS, predicted a sweep for the BJP in the hill state, where the elections were held on November 9. The ABP-CSDS survey predicted a BJP victory, with the Congress running it close in the 68-member Assembly.

ALSO READ: Exit polls predict BJP victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh

CATCH ALL THE LIVE UPDATES

09:53 AM
Gujarat election result 2017: BJP leading on 56 seats, Congress ahead on 50. NCP & Bhartiya Tribal Party also enter the fray with lead on 1 seat each.

09:52 AM
Himachal Pradesh election result 2017: Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh's son Vikramaditya leading by 1316 votes in Shimla Rural

09:52 AM
Gujarat election result 2017: Vijay Rupani leading by 1800 votes from Rajkot West

Click here to read → GujaratElectionResults2017

Rahul Gandhi succeeding Sonia: PM Modi calls Cong politics 'Aurangzeb Raj'

Mani Shankar Aiyar had referred to Mughals while speaking about the Gandhi scion's election as party chief

Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Monday stoked a controversy when he invoked the rulers of the Mughal dynasty in the election of Rahul Gandhi as party President, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi latched on to quickly to call it "Aurangzeb Raj".

"When Shah Jahan came in the place of Jahangir did any election happen? And when Aurangzeb came in place of Shah Jahan did any election happen? It was known to everyone that the throne of the king will automatically go to the heir," Aiyar said, retorting to the "dynasty" jibes of the BJP on Rahul Gandhi's election.

"But in a democracy elections are held. I openly invite Poonawala to file the nomination and contest," Aiyar said, adding has anyone heard of Shehzad Poonawala.

He was replying to a question about BJP's criticism following Maharashtra Congress leader Poonawala calling Rahul Gandhi's election as party chief rigged.

Modi was quick to pounce on Aiyar's remarks. Addressing a public meeting in Dharampur constituency in Gujarat, Modi said: "Mani Shankar Aiyar, who never shies away from showing loyalty to one family, proudly said -- When Shah Jahan came in the place of Jahangir did any elections happen? And when Aurangzeb came in place of Shah Jahan did any election happen? It was known to everyone that the throne of the king will automatically go the son," Modi said.

"I congratulate the Congress on their 'Aurangzeb Raj.' For us, the wellbeing of the people matters and 125 crore Indians are our high command," he said.

He also said that the Congress leaders admit that it is not a party but a kunba (family).
Click here to read → Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017

Gujarat elections 2017 highlights: PM Modi's campaign rally in Bhavnagar

PM Modi is on a two-day Gujarat tour during which he is expected to hold 7 election campaign rallies in total, three of which were held on Sunday.

Celebrating the culture and unity of the people, PM Modi in Bhavnagar while campaigning for Gujarat Assembly elections said that, “Gujarat has grown due to the power of Shanti, Ekta and Sadbhavana”.

Gujarat assembly elections are scheduled to be held in two phases on December 9 and 14 and Gujarat election results are to be announced on December 18

Here are the key highlights of Modi’s speech during his Gujarat election rally in Bhavnagar on Monday:

• I fail to understand why is Congress once again doing what it always did in the past- divide people, be it on caste lines, communal lines, between villages & cities. Congress has learnt 'divide and rule' from our colonial rulers rather well
• I appeal to the Congress to stick to the truth. The people of Gujarat do not like poll time lollipops and false promises of the Congress
• The people of UP know the Congress and their leadership well. And see how they have rejected Congress repeatedly
• Congress is trying to create fights between brothers, between cities and villages, between religions and castes, whatever chasms that they could create, Congress party has learned this sin from the British Raj rather well.
• Congress better hear loud and clear, we are the born on the same land as Gandhi and Sardar Patel, so we never go back from our promises. Our promise is, whoever stole from the poor, whoever stole from the nation, they will have to give the money back!
• I appeal to the Congress to stick to the truth. The people of Gujarat do not like poll time lollipops and false promises of the Congress
• Modi praised the development model in Gujarat, asking the audience at the rally in Bhavnagar who was responsible for this development. The crowd immediately began to chant "Modi, Modi!" but the prime minister went on to say "Modi has been PM
• and CM in Gujarat, but the reason for this development is the unity between Gujaratis." "Gujarat has grown due to the power of Shanti, Ekta and Sadbhavana," he added.

PM Modi is on a two-day Gujarat tour during which he is expected to hold 7 election campaign rallies in total, three of which were held on Sunday.

Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP rule: Rahul Gandhi to Modi

The prime minister and the opposition leader are in Gujarat today

Stepping up his offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Gujarat elections, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday sought to make the state's ruling BJP accountable for its promises in the last polls.

Gandhi also brought up the BJP's 22-year rule in Gujarat and said people were demanding answers.
22 salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab (Gujarat demands answers for 22 years of BJP rule), he tweeted.

Seeking to pin the government down on the issue of housing, Gandhi asked the prime minister whether it would take 45 more years to provide new houses to Gujaratis.

Giving numbers to buttress his argument, he said, "First question to the prime minister on the state of affairs in Gujarat - In 2012, he promised to provide 50 lakh new houses, but provided 4.72 lakh in five years. Will the prime minister tell whether it will take another 45 years to fulfil the promise?
The prime minister and the opposition leader are in Gujarat today to campaign for their parties ahead of the December 9 and 14 assembly poll.

Gandhi will campaign in the state for two days and will start with a visit to the famous Somnath temple.

He will also hold public meetings in at least three districts today and tomorrow, party leaders said.
Click here to Read→ Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017