Let's see after a year: Cong leader Ahmed Patel's daughter Mumtaz on contesting LS polls

Congress Veteran Ahmed Patel's daughter Mumtaz prefers to take some time to learn and observe things before contesting for the election. For the time being, I'll observe and understand things. After that, I'll go among the public, and then, I'll contest, says Mumtaz Patel.

Baruch (Gujarat): With the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections kicking off today, Mumtaz Patel, daughter of late Congress leader Ahmed Patel, said she is confident that the Congress will win in the Ankleshwar Assembly Constituency despite the neck-to-neck fight in the first phase of the Gujarat assembly elections.

"We are advocating a change. There is a neck-to-neck fight here (Ankleshwar) yet I am confident that Congress will win," Mumtaz said as she reached Ankleshwar to cast vote on Thursday. Asked about the reasons for her staying out of the election fray this year, Patel said that she prefers to take some time to learn and observe things before she contests.

"For the time being, I'll observe and understand things. After that, I'll go among the public, and then, I'll contest," said Mumtaz Patel. "Let's see after a year," she said when asked if she'll contest in the Lok Sabha polls. Moreover, she took a dig at the BJP for several issues including inflation, communal issues, and lack of basic facilities in the rural parts of the state among other things.

The polling in the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections is underway in 89 constituencies spread across 19 Kutch, Saurashtra and South Gujarat districts. The ongoing polling for the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections has recorded a 4.92 percent voter turnout till 9 am.

According to the EC, there are 5,74,560 voters who are between 18 to 19 years of age while 4,945 voters are above 99 years of age. There are 163 NRI voters, of which 125 are men and 38 are women. There are 14,382 voting centers, out of which 3,311 are in the urban areas and 11,071 in the rural areas. The counting of votes will be done on December 8. Results of the Himachal Pradesh assembly elections will also be declared on the same day.