Ahmedabad: A total of 152 Muslim candidates are in the fray in the first phase of Gujarat Assembly election scheduled to be held on Thursday. A total of 788 candidates are in the fray on the 89 seats that will go to polls in the first phase of the upcoming Gujarat Assembly Elections 2022. As per officials, 152 Muslim candidates are contesting in the first phase of election on 42 of the 89 seats.
Of the 152 Muslim candidates, 36 are contesting from Limbayat seat in Surat alone. There are 17 seats where only one Muslim candidate is in the fray. Likewise, there are five seats where there are two Muslim candidates. Three Muslim candidates each are contesting from six seats while there are four seats where four Muslim candidates are in the fray.
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Six Muslim candidates each are contesting on five seats. The total number of Muslim women candidates in the fray in the first phase is 14. A total of 117 Muslim candidates are contesting the election independently while Congress has given tickets to three Muslim candidates for the first phase of election. The All India Majlis Itihadul Muslimeen, which is looking optimistic for this year's election has fielded six candidates.
Same is the number for BSP and SP while the AAP has fielded one Muslim candidate. According to the Chief Electoral Officer 2,39,76,670 voters will exercise their franchise in the first phase. The Election Commission has set up 25,430 polling booths, of which 16,416 are in rural areas, and 9,014 in urban areas.
