Ahmedabad, Dec 10: Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the first phase of Assembly polls in Gujarat to be held on Tuesday.

Around 50, 000 central paramilitary forces have been deployed at all polling booths to ensure free and fair polling.

Apart from this, the Election Commission has also prohibited the use of mobile phones inside polling booths.

As many as 1.79 crores voters will decide the fate of 668 candidates, including 53 female candidates, who are in the fray. 

During the first phase, the Chorasi, Assembly Constituency is the largest with 1, 593, 907 voters, while Manavadar is the smallest with 125, 902 voters.

Out of the 182 Assembly seats in the State, 87 will go to polls in the first phase.

Some of the key ministers of the Narendra Modi Government who are contesting election during this phase are Finance Minister Biju Bhai Vala (Rajkot II), Water Resources Minister Narottam Patel (Chaurasy) and Urban Development Minister I K Jadeja.

The Congress party has fielded 82 candidates for the first phase.

During first phase, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is contesting elections on 78 Assembly Constituencies, while the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is contesting on 4.
 
The Congress party has fielded, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dinsha J. Patel against Modi in the Patel-dominated Maninagar Assembly Constituency that will go for polling on December 16.

The second phase of polling for 95 seats will take place on December 16.

The counting of votes will take place on December 23.

Over 36 million voters will decide the fate of 1268 candidates for the 182-member Assembly in Gujarat. The term of the State's Legislative Assembly is due to expire on December 26.
 
The BJP managed to win 127 seats, while the Congress party was able to win only 51 seats in the 2002 Gujarat Assembly polls. The Janata Dal (United) and independents won two seats each.

 

ANI
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