Gujarat elections 2022: 56.88 per cent polling recorded in 1st phase voting in 89 seats | HIGHLIGHTS

Around 65 per cent polling recorded in first phase till 5:00 pm in Gujarat today. 

"Gujarat election is going in the favour of BJP. There is immense love for PM Modi in the state. CM Bhupendra Patel has done the work of development in Gujarat. We have seen positive results in today's polling," said BJP national president JP Nadda in Jaipur. 

Till 3 pm, Gujarat has recorded nearly 40 per cent voting as polling for first phase is underway. 

Addressing a rally in Kalol, PM Modi said, "If they (Congress) believed in democracy, they would have never gone to this level. They believe in one family and not democracy. They can do anything to please that one family and that family is everything to them, not democracy."

"There is a competition in Congress on who says more bad words for Modi...We have to teach them a lesson and the way is to vote for "Lotus" on the 5th (second phase of Gujarat elections)" the Prime Minister said.

Voter turnout in districts till 1 pm

• Amreli - 32.01
• Bharuch - 35.98
• Bhavnagar - 32.74
• Botad - 30.26
• Dang - 46.22
• Devbhoomi Dwarka - 33.89 Gir
• Somnath - 35.99
• Jamnagar - 30.34
• Junagadh - 32.96
• Kutch - 33.44
• Morbi - 38.61
• Narmada - 46.13
• Porbandar - 30.20
• Rajkot - 32.88
• Surat - 33.10
• Surendranagar - 34.18
• Tapi - 46.35
• Valsad - 38.08

PM Modi during a rally in Kalol on Thursday said, "I respect Kharge ji. He will say what he has been told to say. Congress party doesn't know that this is Ram Bhakts' Gujarat. On this land of "Rambhakts", they were asked to say, "Modi ji 100 maatha wala raavan."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks on issues related to Gujarat, anti-radical cell & Congress's remarks on PM Modi, during roadshow in Ahmedabad.

He said, "Whenever Congress used inappropriate words, against PM Modi, people of Gujarat replied through ballot box."

Union Home minister Amit Shah holds a roadshow in Sanand in Ahmedabad.

AAP candidate Alpesh Kathiriya casts his vote in the first phase of Gujarat Assembly Polls, at a polling station in Surat.

High turnout in Narmada district till 11.30 am. 23.76 per cent in total. Nandod records 26.18 per cent and Dediapada recorsd 21.16 per cent. 

She says "People are voting for double-engine government in the state. People from every community have been voting and we'll be forming the government with an absolute majority."

Mandhatasinh Jadej Thakor Saheb and Kadambari Devi - members of the erstwhile royal family in Rajkot cast their votes today in the first phase of Gujarat Election 2022. They arrived at the polling station in a vintage car.

Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya interacts with villagers, before casting his vote, in Hanol village in Bhavnagar district.

People of my village (Hanol) have always believed in the politics of development. I see that the trust of the people of Gujarat has increased in BJP. This time we will break our record and will create a new record, said Union Health Minister and BJP leader Mansukh Mandaviya.

Union Home Minister Mansukh Mandaviya interacted with locals before casting his vote, in Hanol village in the Bhavnagar district. 

Anirudhsinh Jadeja & Naina Jadeja - father & sister of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja - vote at a polling station in Jamnagar.

Ravindra Jadeja's wife Rivaba Jadeja is BJP candidate from Jamnagar North while Anirudhsinh and Naina campaigned for Congress candidate.

Gujarat Home minister Harsh Sanghavi cast his vote in Surat.

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel holds a roadshow in Mehsana. Mehsana will be voting in the second phase of the elections to be held on December 5.

Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja cast his vote at a polling station in Jamnagar. His wife and BJP candidate Rivaba Jadeja voted in Rajkot earlier today.

Ravindra Jadeja says, "I appeal to the people to vote in large numbers."

For the time being, I'll observe and understand things. I'll go among public & after that I'll come, said Mumtaz Patel, late senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel's daughter on why didn't she contest.

"Let's see after a year," she says when asked if she'll contest Lok Sabha polls

"We are advocating a change. Chief Ministers were changed, so they can feel anti-incumbency. There is a neck-to-neck fight here (Ankleshwar)," she said.

Naina Jadeja, sister-in-law of BJP's Rivaba Jadeja, who campaigned for Congress said, "not the first time it's happening. Several families in Jamnagar have members working for different parties. Be satisfied with your ideology, give your 100%&the better one will win."

"My love for my brother stays the same. My sister-in-law is a BJP candidate as of now. As a sister-in-law she is good," Naina Jadeja further said. 

100-year-old Kamuben Lalabhai Patel cast her vote in Umargam today, in the first phase of Gujarat Elections 2022.

Gujarat has been progressing and the people of the state have decided to vote for the BJP. People have trust in BJP and there'll be development further in the state. BJP will form the government in the state, says Gujarat Finance minister Kanubhai Desai.

Appeal to all the brothers and sisters of Gujarat, vote for the progressive future of Gujarat, for loan waiver of farmers, for cheap gas cylinders, for employment, vote in large numbers and make this festival of democracy a success, says Rahul Gandhi, whose on his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Inflation and joblessness have increased in Gujarat due to the failure of the BJP government. Gas and fuel prices have skyrocketed, privatisation of education has happened. There will be a transition of power and Congres will come, says confident Congress MLA Paresh Dhanani.

Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil casts his vote for the first phase of Gujarat Elections at a polling station in Surat.

Says Modi magic works every time, everywhere. He's in people's hearts. They trust him & he's capable of meeting their expectations.

Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani and his wife Anjali Rupani cast their votes at a polling station in Rajkot, in the first phase of Gujarat Assembly Polls.

Former CM Vijay Rupani said, "I appeal to people to cast their votes. Voting is necessary to safeguard democracy. I am confident that BJP is going to form the government in Gujarat for the seventh time. People have love and respect for PM Modi, they won't go anywhere else."

People have taken a resolve to remove BJP and the saffron party knows about this that's why they changed the cabinet, including CM, a year ago. There were corruption allegations against them. The new government is running just like that. So, people are in mood for change, said Arjun Modhwadia, Congress leader. 

Congress Amreli MLA Paresh Dhanani leaves his residence, to cast his vote, with a gas cylinder on a bicycle underscoring the issue of high fuel prices.

Voting for the first phase of Gujarat Assembly Polls underway. A look at visuals from VM Mehta College in Jamnagar as voters queue up to cast their votes.

Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi casts his vote at a polling booth in Surat in the first phase of Gujarat Assembly Polls.

Women voters gather at a polling booth in Surat to cast their votes amid the first phase of polling that's underway in the state.

BJP's Rivaba Jadeja casts her vote in Rajkot. She is contesting from Jamnagar North.

"There's no difficulty. There can be people of different ideologies in same family. I've trust in people of Jamnagar, we will focus on overall development, and this time as well BJP will win with a good margin," said Rivaba after casting her vote

Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel and his wife cast their votes at a polling booth in Navsari, in the first phase of Gujarat Assembly Polls.

Fate of the political parties will be decided by over 2 crore voters today, with 89 constituencies spread across 19 districts of Kutch, Saurashtra and South Gujarat going up for polling.

Today is the first phase of the Gujarat elections. I call upon all those voting today, particularly first time voters to exercise their franchise in record numbers.

Today is a very important day. The hard work of all BJP candidates is going to pay off. I request people to vote as much as possible, says Rivaba Jadeja, BJP's Jamnagar North candidate.

People of Gujarat's mini African village - Jambur celebrated their first opportunity to vote in their own special tribal booth.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party may win a comfortable majority in the Gujarat Assembly elections, with Congress coming second, said India TV-Matrize final opinion poll. According to the opinion poll, BJP may win a comfortable majority with 109-124 seats in the 182-member Gujarat assembly, while Congress may win 51-66 seats, AAP may win 0-7 seats. READ MORE

The BJP has fielded nine, Congress six and AAP five women candidates in the first phase of voting for Gujarat assembly elections 2022. 

Among notable candidates in the first phase is Aam Aadmi Party's chief ministerial face Isudan Gadhvi, who is contesting from Khambhalia in Devbhumi Dwarka district. Former Gujarat minister Parshottam Solanki, six-time MLA Kunwarji Bavaliya, Morbi 'hero' Kantilal Amrutiya, cricketer Ravindra Jadeja's wife Rivaba and Gujarat AAP president Gopal Italia are also in the fray.

Gujarat has traditionally witnessed bipolar contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress. However, this time the contest has become triangular with the entry of Aam Aadmi Party. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party is contesting on total 181 seats out of 182 seats of Gujarat Assembly.

Voting in the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections 2022 will be held on 89 seats across 19 districts. As many as 788 candidates are in the fray in the first phase of the election.