The BJP will continue its winning streak in Gujarat, positioning all 26 seats in the states into its winning basket, predicted the India TV-CNX exit polls result on Saturday.
The exit poll results, which come following the conclusion of the seven phases of the polling on June 1, predicted a one-sided victory for the Bhartiya Janta Party on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home turf. Significantly, Gujarat's win also marks a positive political landscape for the BJP on the national level.
Polling across 25 of the 26 seats in Gujarat was held during the third phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 on May 7. While, the lone seat of Surat directly fell into the BJP’s kitty after eight out of nine eligible candidates withdrew their nominations from the constituency, thus declaring BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal the winner unopposed.
Further, amid the exit poll results, it is pertinent to note that the state reported an overall voter turnout of 55 percent during the polling held for Lok Sabha constituencies.
Gujarat Elections 2024: Date of Results
As announced by the Election Commission of India, the counting of votes for 25 of the total 26 seats in Gujarat, as well as the remaining Lok Sabha seats across the country, will be held on June 4. Of the total 545 seats in Parliament, polling was held across 543 seats during the seven phases of the Lok Sabha Polls 2024. The remaining two seats are filled by nominated representatives of the Anglo-Indian community if the President feels this community has not been adequately represented.
Gujarat Elections 2024: Main Parties and Candidates
Gujarat is witnessing a two-way battle between the BJP and the INDIA bloc candidates. The BJP, which won all 26 seats in the state during the 2019 polls, is confident of securing another sweep. While, the Congress, contesting in the state in alliance with the AAP, is banking on a clear-cut anti-incumbency factor.
Moreover, regarding key constituencies, all eyes are on the Gandhinagar seat, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah is bidding for re-election. Gandhinagar has been a BJP bastion, previously represented by stalwarts like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani. Further, for the Porbandar seat, the BJP is relying on Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, who is contesting his first Lok Sabha election after a long stint as a Rajya Sabha member. While, on the prominent Rajkot seat, the BJP has fielded Parshottam Rupala, a Union minister and close aide of PM Modi. Rupala hails from Amreli district in the Saurashtra region.
Meanwhile, excitement also swirls around Gujarat's Bharuch seat which is witnessing the combined might of the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party taking against the BJP. As part of the INDIA alliance, AAP's Dediapada MLA, Chaitar Vasava, is contesting the seat. He is pitted against the BJP's Mansukh Vasava, who has been winning the seat since 1999.
Gujarat Elections 2024: What Happened in 2014 and 2019?
The BJP is quite hopeful of repeating its 2019 and 2014 mammoth victories in the state, sweeping all 26 Lok Sabha seats. However, the Congress, in alliance with the AAP, is also hopeful of breaking its 10-year drought.
