Gujarat election: PM Modi, Amit Shah to vote; Bhupendra Patel, Hardik among heavyweight candidates
Gujarat election phase 2: Heavyweight voters and equally heavyweight contestants are to watch out for as Gujarat readies for the second phase of the election. PM Modi, Amit Shah, Anandiben Patel will cast their votes, while cricketers Irfan Pathan, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya are the other celebrity voters of this phase.
A total of 93 constituencies across 14 districts will go to the polls on Monday to decide the fate of 833 candidates from 61 parties in the second phase of the Gujarat Assembly Election 2022. The seats are spread across Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Patan, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Aravali, Mahisagar, Panchmahal, Dahod, Vadodara, Anand, Kheda and Chhota Udaipur districts. Full coverage of Gujarat Assembly Election 2022
Key constituencies
Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel is a candidate from Ghatlodia constituency. In Ghatoldia, the Congress candidate is Amee Yagnik and AAP fielded Vijay Patel.
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BJP's Hardik Patel will be contesting from Viramgam. Alpesh Thakor is contesting from Gandhinagar South. AAP fielded Dolat Patel from there.
Congress' Sukhram Rathava will contest from Chhota Udaipur, while Lakhabhai Bharwad, Jignesh Mevani will be fighting from Viramgam and Vadgam, respectively
Ahead of Gujarat polls phase 2, PM Modi seeks blessings from mother Heeraben
Heavyweight voters
Apart from heavyweight contestants, the second phase will see heavyweight voters including PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. Other celebrity voters include Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Isudan Gadhvi, Gujarat Congress president Jagdish Thakor and cricketers Irfan Pathan, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya.
Full list of BJP, Congress candidates for phase 2
The Royal family of Vadodara, Congress leader and MP Shaktisinh Gohil and former chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela will also cast their votes on Monday.
After the first phase of polling, the Election Commission raised concern over the apathy of voters in city areas. Surat, Rajkot and Jamnagar recorded lower than the state average of voter turnout of 63.3% in the first phase. The EC urged voters to reach their designated polling booths early and cast their votes before 5pm on Monday. Gujarat's Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi on Sunday raised concerns over the 'low' voter turnout in urban areas in the first phase of the Assembly polls on December 1. "Every voter, especially in urban areas, should come forward and vote enthusiastically. The Chief Election Commissioner is also working tirelessly to make the urban youth shed their apathy and vote," the chief electoral officer said
