These 2022 assembly polls in Gujarat are the “semi-finals” for Lok Sabha elections 2024 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 the year 2014, these 2022 assembly elections are the semi-finals for 2024 elections,” Kanubhai Desai said. He said that the people of Gujarat have decided to vote for BJP to bring it to power once again.
“Gujarat has been progressing and the people of the state have decided to vote for the BJP. People have trust in BJP that there will be more development in the state,” he added.
Further talking about the people’s enthusiasm, Desai said that people have an “unbreakable trust” in the BJP. “The craze with which they are voting, the margin of victory will rise,” the state Finance Minister said.
The fate of the 788 candidates is in the hands of 2,39,76,670 voters who will cast their votes till 5 pm today. 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.
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.