Campaigning ends for second phase of Assembly polls in Guj

The campaigning for second phase of Assembly elections for 95 constituencies in Gujarat ended today where all political parties including Congress and BJP went all out to woo voters in their final push ahead of December 17 polling.

In two phase elections for the Gujarat Assembly, polling in the second phase will witness 1,98,99,501 voters deciding the fate of 820 candidates who are in the fray for 95 seats.

As per the Election Commission notification campaigning ended at 5 pm today, 48 hours before voting for the second phase.

Voting for the second phase on 23,318 polling stations, will begin at 8 am on Monday and will end at 5 pm.

In the second phase 1,03,58,265 male and 95,41,157 female voters will seal the fate of 820 candidates including the Chief Minister Narendra Modi against whom Congress has fielded Shweta Bhatt, wife of suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt.

Other important candidates in fray are Congress' Shankarsinh Vaghela, BJP's Amit Shah and Gujarat Parivartan Party's Jagruti Pandya.

Buoyed by record high voter turnout, 70.75 per cent, in the first phase for 87 seats on Thursday, Congress party, on the last day, has again brought Rahul Gandhi in the campaigning, who addressed a public rally in Bhuj.

On the other side BJP under the leadership of its star campaigner and Chief Minister Narendra Modi has also left no stone unturned to give a last and decisive push to attract voters for the party.

Modi has appealed to the people to surpass the voting percentage of first phase in the second phase.

Apart from 284 independent candidates BJP is contesting on all 95 seats going to the poll in this phase, whereas Congress has fielded 92, and newly formed Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) of former BJP Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel is contesting on 84 seats.

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