Gujarat Election Results 2017: BJP records sixth straight win in Assembly polls

The BJP secured its sixth straight victory in the Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017, the results for which were announced on Monday. Till filling of the report, the saffron party had already won 99 seats while the Congress party had won 77 seats and was leading on two seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, and said the BJP was the only party that had won on the agenda of development, and that those who indulged in mockery of 'vikas' had been taught a lesson by people. He asked his opponents to recognise the people's verdict and accept that the politics had changed and there's no place for hatred.

The Election Commission begun the counting of votes polled in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh on Monday morning. The counting of votes was underway at 37 centres across the state's 33 districts, amidst tight security. Exit Polls had recently showed that ruling BJP will win the Himalayan state with impressive margin and retain its power in Prime Minister Modi's home state.

All eyes were on Gujarat results as the saffron party has been ruling the state for over two decades and the prime minister comes from here. While BJP did not find any resistance in Himachal, it was faced with tough challenge from Hardik Patel, distressed farmers in Gujarat.

The BJP's main rival party the Congress stitched a broad social coalition with prominent Patidar, OBC, and Dalit leaders - Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jigesh Mevani - in its bid to remove the saffron party. Patel led a long agitation of his community for reservation, while Thakor led counter protest against inclusion of Patidars in the OBC reservation list. Mevani raised his voice against Dalit atrocities. In Himachal, the polls were conducted in single phase last month. In Gujarat, the elections were held in two phases that concluded on December 14. An average 68.41 per cent polling was recorded Gujarat.

Here's what BJP President Amit Shah had to say on BJP's victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

I thank people of Himachal and Gujarat for believing in PM Modi's development path. This victory is the victory of PM Narendra Modi's policies: Amit Shah
BJP vote share in 2012 was 12 47.85 per cent. In 2017, it got 49.10 per cent vote. BJP vote share has increased: Amit Shah

This is a victory of development over dynasty and polarisation: Amit Shah

All top Congress leaders have lost the elections: Amit Shah

Here's what Congress President Rahul Gandhi had to say after losing Gujarat Himachal Pradesh.

The Congress party accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states. I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal with all my heart for the love they showed me: Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.

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6.41: The Prime Minister said the HP results show if you don't work for the people's welfare, you will be ousted. He said if people were voting for a party even after five years of General Elections, it's a huge victory shows the people voted for the agenda of development.

6.28PM: The Prime Minister congratulated the party as well as the people of Gujarat on the victory in the Assembly election.

3:45PM: Congress is leading by almost 19,000 votes in Unjha, where Prime Minister Modi's hometown Vadnagar is.

3:30PM: Nearly, 5 lakh voters used the NOTA (none of the above) option in Gujarat election.

02:11 Congress wins Unjha, Sidhpur, while the party leads in Mahesana.

02:05 Bihar CM Nitish  Kumar congratulates PM Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls.

01:17 Veteran Congress leader Siddharth Patel lost Dabhoi Assembly Constituency to BJP's Shailesh Mehta Sotta by 2839 votes.

01:11  Congress leader Alpesh Thakor wins from Radhanpur.

12:36 Development has won: Smriti Irani on Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly election.

12:25  Gujarat win is the victory of development and leadership of PM Modi. The Opposition should now stop thinking about 2019 elections: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath

12:24  Ram Singh Parmar who joined BJP after quitting Congress losses Thasra seat.

12:09 BJP supporters celebrate in Delhi by eating mushroom shaped cake.

12:45 Senior Congress leader Arjunbhai Devabhai Modhvadiya lost to BJP's Babubhai Bhimabhai Bokhiriya. Modhvadiya could only manage to get 70575 votes compared to Bokhiriya's 72430.

12:35 Congress leader Alpesh Thakor won from Radhanpur.

12:08: BJP has widened the gap with lead on 110 seats. Congress is leading on 70 seats.  

12:05: Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel has won Mehsana with a slim margin of 2200 votes.

11:30: The BJP is leading on 104 seats and Congress on 76 seats.

11:25: While election commission data doesn't show any victory, reports suggest that Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has won the election with over leading by 25,000 votes from Rajkot West.  

11:20: Independent candidate Jignesh Mevani leading by 10,785 votes in Vadgam.

11:15: Alpesh Thakor is ahead by 4539 votes in Radhanpur.

11:10: Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel is trailing by 2,000 votes in Mehsana.
11:00: The EC data shows that the BJP has secured 49.1 per cent votes while the Congress managed to get 41.5 per cent.

10:20: Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel trails by 2,000 votes in Mehsana.

10:10: BJP is winning Tribal voters.

9:50: BJP crosses halfway mark with 105 seats against Congress' 75.

9:45: Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh of Congress leading in Arki.

9:30: After trailing for a brief time, BJP is leading again in Gujarat.

9:22: Congress is leading in North Gujarat.

9:20: Congress is leading in Saurashtra.

9:15: What is emerging in Gujarat is good for the country. BJP and RSS tried to create a notion of invincibility of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi: D Raja

9:11: Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil trailing by 1300 votes from Kutch's Mandvi.

8:55: Alpesh Thakor is leading in Radhanpur and Jignesh Mevani is leading in Vadgam.

8:45: The BJP is currently leading in 91 seats and Congress is leading in 56 seats.

8:31: In Himachal, Congress takes lead in 6 seats, BJP goes down to 11 seats from 13.

8:31: Former Congress State President Arjun Modhwadia is trailing.

8:30: Alpesh Thakur and Jignesh Mewani are trailing as of now.

8:26: BJP Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel are leading in their respective constituency.

8:25: The BJP is leading in North Gujarat.

8:20: The Congress is catching up and now leading on 24 seats compared to the BJP's 30 seats.

8:15: The BJP is leading on 15 seats and the Congress is leading on 4 seats.

Facts from Gujarat
The voter turnout in the second phase of balloting on December 14, for 93 seats of North and Central Gujarat, stood at 69.99 per cent. In the first phase of polls held on December 9 for 89 seats in Saurasthra, Kutch and South Gujarat, 66.75 per cent voting was recorded. The total voter turnout this time has seen a dip of 2.91 per cent, as compared to the 2012 polls when 71.32 per cent polling was registered.

In terms of numbers, of the total 4.35 crore registered voters, 2.97 crore exercised their right to franchise in the elections held on December 9 and 14. The Election Commission data showed that the tribal-dominated Narmada district witnessed the highest voter turnout of 79.15 per cent, while Devbhumi-Dwarka of Saurashtra region recorded the lowest at 59.39 per cent.

The districts which recorded a high turnout are Tapi (78.56 per cent), Banaskantha (75.15) and Sabarkantha (74.97). The districts which saw a low turnout are Amreli (61.29), Bhavnagar (61.56) and Porbandar (61.86).

Out of the total 33 districts, 15 recorded over 70 per cent polling, while 17 others clocked between 60 per cent and 70 per cent. Only Devbhumi Dwarka district registered polling below 60 per cent.