Gujarat Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Highlights from May 7, 2024

Over 55% voting turnout was registered till 5 p.m. in the 25 parliamentary constituencies of Gujarat where polling was held in the third phase of the Lok Sabha election on Tuesday.

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A voter turnout of 47.03% was recorded till 3 p.m. in 25 Lok Sabha seats of Gujarat in the third phase of the general elections on Tuesday, an Election Commission (EC) official said.

“An average 47.03% voter turnout was recorded between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Gujarat,” the official said.

As per the data shared by the EC, the Valsad (ST) constituency in south Gujarat recorded the highest turnout of 58.05%, while the Porbandar seat in the Saurashtra region saw the lowest turnout of 37.96% between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.

- PTI

Deep inside a protected Indian forest, a Hindu monk cast his ballot on Tuesday, ensuring a 100% turnout at the polling station where he is the sole registered voter.

That has required polling officials to traverse through the Gir forest — the last remaining natural habitat of the endangered Asiatic lion — to set up a voting booth in Banej, where Mahant Haridas Udaseen is the sole resident.

“The fact that a team of 10 people came here in the jungle for just one voter shows how important each vote is,” the 42-year-old told AFP, holding up a finger marked with indelible ink to show he had voted.

- AFP

A voter turnout of over 37% was recorded till 1 p.m. in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in 25 out of 26 seats of Gujarat.

According to the Election Commission, a voting percentage of 37.83 was recorded till 1 p.m.

- PTI

Congress leader Mumtaz Patel cast her vote at a polling booth in Bharuch during the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday. 

After casting her vote, the Congress leader said, “I request the citizens to exercise their right to vote... In the last 10 years, we have seen the BJP government. We have seen the trailer. We don’t want a dictatorship in the future...”

- ANI

Veteran cricket all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s sister, Naina Jadeja, and father, Anirudhsinh Jadeja, cast their vote at a polling booth in Gujarat’s Jamnagar during the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday. 

After casting her vote, Naina spoke to ANI and said, “Voting is our right in a democracy... We should vote for a better future.”

- ANI

Gautam Adani, the chairman of the Adani Group, exercised his democratic right by casting his vote along with his family during the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

After casting his vote, Mr. Adani took to social media to share his experience and encourage fellow citizens to participate in the electoral process.

In a post on social media platform X, Mr. Adani expressed his pride in voting with his family and emphasized the importance of voting as a fundamental right, privilege, and responsibility of every citizen. “Every vote is a powerful voice in our democracy. Cast your vote for shaping the future of India,” he said.

- ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s elder brother Somabhai Modi on Tuesday turned emotional while remembering their mother late Hiraba and said she would be showering her blessings on the PM from heaven.

Somabhai Modi said just like the people, he also wants his brother to become the prime minister for the third time.

PM Modi used to meet his mother at her residence in Gandhinagar in Gujarat and take her blessings before coming here to cast his vote.

Hiraba passed away in December 2022.

-PTI

On March 22, during an election campaign speech in Rajkot in Gujarat, Union Minister and Rajkot Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Parshottam Rupala unwittingly triggered outrage when he praised the Dalits at the expense of the Kshatriyas or Rajputs.

As clips of the speech went viral on social media, the Rajputs, who are descendants of royal or princely families in Saurashtra, began to protest. This was the region where more than 100 large and small princely states existed at the time of independence.

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Gujarat has witnessed a turnout of 24.35% across the 25 seats where polling is under way. Polling had begun at 7 a.m. and there was an average of 9.87% voter turnout by 9 a.m.

Banaskantha constituency continues to have the highest turnout percentage at 30.27. Porbandar’s turnout is lowest at 19.83%. Gandhinagar, from where PM Modi voted this morning has seen a turnout of 25.67%. 

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala on Tuesday cast his vote at a polling station at his native village Ishwariya in Gujarat’s Amreli.

Mr. Rupala is a voter at Ishwariya and is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Rajkot Constituency.

After casting his vote, Rupala said that though he doesn’t believe in predictions, he still assured that the BJP going to form a government at the Centre with a huge majority.

-ANI

Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja’s wife Rivaba Jadeja cast her vote at the polling station in Jamnagar on Tuesday.

Rivaba Jadeja is a member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly for the Bharatiya Janta Party from the Jamnagar North Assembly constituency. In the Jamnagar Parliamentary constituency, the fight is between the sitting MP-BJP’s Poonamben Maadam and the Congress’ JP Marayviya.

-ANI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah with family shows their inked finger after casting their votes at Kameshwar Mahadev Temple, Naranpura in Ahmedabad on May 07, 2024. 

Photo: Vijay Soneji 

Thirty-five Muslim candidates are contesting the Lok Sabha election in Gujarat but the Congress has this time broken its tradition and not fielded a single person from the community in the State.

The Congress has argued that the Bharuch Lok Sabha seat, from where it used to field a Muslim candidate traditionally, has this time gone to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as part of the seat-sharing agreement among the Opposition INDIA bloc constituents.

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Polling across Gujarat’s 25 seats witnessed a turnout of 9.87% by 9 a.m. Polling began at 7 a.m.

Banaskantha constituency (12.28%) witnessed the highest turnout, while PM Modi’s constituency of Gandhinagar, where Home Minister Amit Shah is standing, saw a turnout of 10.31%

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel cast his vote for the Lok Sabha elections at a polling booth in Ahmedabad on Tuesday and appealed to the people to exercise their franchise to make the country developed and prosperous.

The chief minister stood in a queue at the polling booth in Shilaj area to cast his vote.

“I have cast my vote. I would like to request every citizen to exercise his/her franchise to make India great, prosperous and developed,” the CM said.

-PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged voters to step out and vote for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections and asked voters to elect a government that has experience in “public welfare” and a “blueprint” for a developed India.

“In the third phase of the Lok Sabha Election, I appeal to all the voters who are going to cast their votes today to accept voting as a duty towards contributing to nation-building. Once again, vote for a corruption-free, caste-free, and dynasticism-free system. Elect a government that has experience in public welfare and a blueprint for a developed India,” Amit Shah posted on X.

-ANI

Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi cast his vote at a polling booth in Navsari Lok Sabha constituency of Surat.

He was among the first to cast his ballot, setting the tone for the third phase of the Lok Sabha Elections.

The BJP has fielded its State unit chief C.R. Patil from Navsari seat and the Indian National Congress has fielded Naishadh Desai.

-ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday voted at a polling booth in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in the single-phase voting for 25 seats in Gujarat.

Modi reached the polling booth at Nishan Public School in Ranip locality of Ahmedabad city soon after the polling began at 7 am and cast his vote.

Union minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah, who is contesting to retain the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, was present when Modi reached the polling booth.

-PTI

Polling began Tuesday morning for 25 of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, and for bypolls in five assembly constituencies in the state.

Voting began at 50,788 polling booths across the state at 7 am and will end at 6 pm, an official said.

The BJP is looking to repeat its sweep of 2014 and 2019 in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

-PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will cast his vote at Nishan Higher Secondary School in Ahemdabad in the third phase of Lok Sabha polls today.

Preparations for polling arrangements are underway at the school which has been designated as a polling booth.

Earlier, a ‘Run for Vote’ marathon was organised in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad on Sunday morning to create awareness among youth to cast their votes in the third phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

The marathon was organised as part of the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) drive to promote the importance of 100% voting.

- ANI

The BJP’s candidate from the Surat Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat has been declared elected unopposed. This follows the rejection of the nomination paper of the candidate set up by the Congress party and the withdrawal of nominations by other candidates.

Why was the Congress candidate’s nomination paper not accepted? What does the Representation of the People Act, 1951 state with respect to requirements for valid nomination?

Rangarajan R. explains in this article

In December 2022, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stormed to power in Gujarat by winning a record 156 out of 182 seats and a vote share of 52.5%, there was a general sense that there was no need for it to induct leaders from the Opposition. After all, its domination in the State was nearly complete.

Nearly everyday, former legislators or panchayat leaders or leaders associated with cooperatives are inducted into the ruling party. This gives sense that it is impossible for any leader to survive in the political sphere or in public life if they are not with the BJP.

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