Initial voter turnout of 4.02 % in Gujarat polls

A total of 2,276 candidates are contesting the polls in Gujarat's six municipal corporations. Besides, nine candidates are also in the fray for by-elections to two seats in the Junagadh Municipal Corporation.

Ahmedabad (Gujarat): Elections to six municipal corporations in Gujarat is underway amid tight security and adherence to COVID-19 norms.

People started queuing up outside polling booths soon after voting began at 7 am across various wards in the six municipal corporations in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar.

The voting will continue till 5 pm.

In the morning, elderly voters were also seen at various booths, where precautions have been taken to follow COVID-19 prevention norms, including use of masks and sanitisers and social distancing.

The voter turnout in the first three hours was 4.02 %. According to the State Election Commission Rajkot recorded 5.93 %, Bhavnagar 4.62%, Jamnagar 4.92%, Vadodara 4.52%, Surat 0.92% and Ahmedabad, 3.26%.

Local MPs, MLAs and leaders of different political parties also arrived at various polling booths in the morning to vote.

Among those who cast their votes in the initial hours were BJP MP Kirit Solanki and party MLA Rakesh Shah. Solanki voted at a booth in the Ranip area of Ahmedabad along with his wife and family members, while Shah cast his vote at a booth in the Ellisbridge area of the city.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah cast his vote at a booth in Naranpura area of Ahmedabad along with his family. BJP State President CR Patil cast his vote with his family at a booth in Surat.

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Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who tested positive for coronavirus during the campaign some days back, will also cast his vote in his home town Rajkot in the evening wearing a PPE kit.

The main contest is between the BJP, which has ruled the six corporations for the last several terms, and the main opposition Congress.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has claimed it would be an effective alternative to the BJP and Congress, while Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) which is making its debut in the local bodies polls, has fielded 21 candidates at six wards in Ahmedabad.

Around 32,000 policemen have been deployed for voting in 575 seats, with each ward having four corporators, officials said.

A total of 2,276 candidates are contesting the polls in the six municipal corporations. Besides, nine candidates are also in the fray for by-elections to two seats in the Junagadh Municipal Corporation.

Those contesting include 577 from the BJP, 566 from the Congress, 470 from the AAP, 91 from the NCP, 353 from other parties and 228 Independents, the officials said.

The municipal corporation elections are being seen as a test for Rupani as it may set the tone for the state Assembly polls due next year.

As per the State Election Commission, there are a total of 1.14 crore voters, including 60.60 lakh men and 54.06 lakh women.

Of the 11,121 polling booths, 2,255 are marked sensitive and 1,188 have been designated as very sensitive.

Votes will be counted on February 23.

On February 28, elections to 31 district and 231 taluka panchayats and 81 municipalities will also be held in the state.