Gujarat election 2022: PM Modi holds massive roadshow in Ahmedabad

Polling booth located in remote forest area of Gir Somnath district records 100 percent voting after its lone voter cast his vote in Phase 1 of GujaratElections. EC had set up polling booth at Banej village so that Mahant Haridasji Udasin, only voter there, can exercise his franchise.

Low voter turnout of about 57% in first phase of voting that ended 5pm today.

Voting ended for the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections in 89 seats across 19 districts of Saurashtra-Kutch and southern regions at 5 pm on Thursday.

As per the data made available by the EC, till three in the afternoon on Thursday, the total state polling has been recorded as 48.48%. Tapi registered the maximum polling of 64.27%, whereas the least was observed in the Jamnagar district which was 42.26 percent.

The South Gujarat districts continued registering better voter turnouts then the rest of the regions, where Narmada registered 63.88% whereas Dangs district registered 58.55%.

Gujarat records 48.48% voter turnout till 3pm.

His hands outstretched, Maganbhai Solanki holds up his moustache and says proudly that it measures almost five feet tip to tip – the carefully tended feature the Independent candidate’s calling card and also a campaign point.

The 57-year-old contestant from Himatnagar seat in Sabarkantha district retired from the Army as an honorary lieutenant in 2012 and has a ready ask from the state government.

"Whoever grows a moustache, the government should pay some amount for its maintenance," Solanki told PTI.

He would also urge the state government to bring in a law to inspire the youth of Gujarat to grow moustache if elected.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a swipe at the Congress over its past 'Garibi Hatao' campaign, claiming that poverty actually increased under the grand old party's rule as it only raised slogans and misguided people instead of doing any concrete work for them. He was addressing a rally in Bodeli town of Chhota Udepur district in Gujarat, where Assembly elections will be held in its second phase on December 5. "For decades, Congress has been saying only one thing - Garibi Hatao (eliminate poverty). People gave you power to do that, but you were asking people to remove poverty. The only thing they did was to raise slogans, give promises and misguide people. That was the reason why poverty actually increased during its regime," Modi alleged.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hit back at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for calling him "Ravana" and said that there is a competition among Congress leaders as to who will use the most abusive words for him.

The remarks of PM Modi came after Kharge had described PM Modi as Ravana.

The political fate of 788 candidates will be sealed in the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly election, meanwhile live webcasting of 13,065 polling stations in 19 districts is underway to ensure transparency in the elections.

Gujarat phase one polling remains sluggish, less than 35% turnout recorded till 1pm.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday referred to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's 'Ravan' comment and said there is a competition going on inside the party on who can abuse Modi more. Read more

People are voting very enthusiastically. In Rajkot district, 26 per cent polling has been recorded till 12 noon. No untoward incident has been reported so far. We are monitoring sensitive polling stations through webcasting: Rajkot Collector Arun Mahesh

Is it a 'Jadeja v Jadeja' contest for the Jamnagar (north) seat in Gujarat? 'No'... according to Congress leader Naina Jadeja - sister-in-law to BJP lawmaker-hopeful Rivaba Jadeja and sister to her husband and India cricketer Ravindra Jadeja - because many families have members working for different parties. Read more

Under the tenure of CM Modi, various problems were solved in Gujarat. Water problem was solved, and check dams were built. Electricity is being supplied for 24 hours. Enrollment and dropout issue was solved: Amit Shah 

Union home minister Amit Shah holds a roadshow in Sanand in Ahmedabad amid phase one polling for Gujarat Assembly election.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Gujarat chief CR Paatil on Thursday expressed faith in 'Modi magic' and said it would work this time too and help the party secure a record seventh term in the ongoing Gujarat Assembly election. Read more

Prafulbhai More, a man whose wedding is scheduled for Thursday, casts his vote in Tapi. He said, "I urge everyone to vote, you shouldn't waste it. My wedding was scheduled for the morning but I rescheduled it for the evening, we've to go to Maharashtra for it"

District-wise voter turnout till 11am

Amreli 19%

Bharuch 17.57

Bhavnagar 18.84

Botad 18.50

Dangs 24.99

Devbhoomi Dwarka 15.86

Gir-Somnath 20.75

Jamnagar 17.85

Junagadh 18.85

Kutch 17.62

Morbi 22.27

Narmada 23.73

Navsari 21.79

Porbandar 16.49

Rajkot 18.98

Surat 17.92

Surendranagar 20.67

Tapi 26.47

Valsad 19.57

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya casts his vote in Hanol, Bhavnagar.

Gujarat Assembly election 2022 full coverage link

Union minister Darshana Jardosh casts vote in Surat. She said, "People are voting for double-engine govt in the state. People from every community have been voting and we'll be forming govt with an absolute majority."

Gujarat records 18.95% voter turnout till 11am.

“Voting is being done deliberately slow in Katargam AC. @ECISVEEP In this way, if you have to work only under the pressure of BJP goons, then why do you get elections done? On an average, 3.5% voting has been done in the entire state, but only 1.41% has been done in Katargam. Don't stoop so low as to beat a small child.” - AAP Gujarat chief Gopal Italia tweets

Mandhatasinh Jadej Thakor Saheb and Kadambari Devi - members of the erstwhile royal family in Rajkot - cast their votes. They arrived at the polling station in a vintage car.