Gujarat Assembly first phase poll campaigning ends today

A total of 87 constituencies spread over 15 districts from Saurashtra and south regions of the state will go for poll on December 13.

Political fate of 846 candidates including 46 women, will be decided by over three crore, 80 lakh voters.

Adding glamour to campaigning, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has put several Gujarati film and TV artists to canvassing for party candidates.

Several Union Ministers, MPs and leaders from other states are already campaigning in different districts for party candidates. BSP supremo Mayawati also addressed an election rally at Rajkot.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh also campaigned in Gujarat. Addressing a rally in Vansada, Dr Singh appealed to the voters of Gujarat to get rid of politicians indulging in divisive politics.

"We don't indulge in politics of dividing the society like the opposition parties... Such politics cannot benefit any political party for a longer period. Time has come that you people should rid Gujarat of such politics and don't let such people come to power who try to get votes by dividing our society and country," he said.

However, rebutting Dr. Singh's charges, Modi accused him of playing votebank politics.

"The Prime Minister is playing votebank politics in the name of minority and majority (communities). It is sad that the Prime Minister of the country cannot rise above votebank politics," Modi said, addressing a rally in Valsad in south Gujarat on Sunday.

Narendra Modi, who is looking at a third consecutive term at the helm in Gujarat, is contesting from Ahmedabad's Maninagar seat. Maninagar is a Modi stronghold and he has held this seat since 2002. In 2007, he defeated the Congress candidate by around 75,000 votes.

The Congress has fielded Suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt's wife Shweta Bhatt against Modi from Maninagar this time.

Gujarat will go to the polls in two phases on December 13 and 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 20.

Rahul Gandhi to campaign in poll-bound Gujarat today

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi will be campaigning in poll-bound Gujarat today.

He will address meetings at Sanand in Ahmedabad in central Gujarat and at Jamnagar and Amreli in Saurashtra regions.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh have already campaigned in the state.

Asserting that there is large-scale corruption in Gujarat, Sonia on Monday described the Narendra Modi-led BJP government as anti-people.

Addressing a rally in Siddhpur, Sonia Gandhi said: "According to news reports, wrong-doings are going on in Gujarat. We have known about CAG reports (talking about corruption). There is largescale corruption in Gujarat."

Urging voters to give a courageous and befitting reply to the BJP government's false, and dictatorial government, Sonia said: "We have to change Gujarat and bring it back to the right path of development. We will strive to come to power to achieve this. People will give a befitting reply to this anti- people government."

On Sunday, Dr. Singh appealed to the voters of Gujarat to get rid of politicians indulging in divisive politics.

"We don't indulge in politics of dividing the society like the opposition parties... Such politics cannot benefit any political party for a longer period. Time has come that you people should rid Gujarat of such politics and don't let such people come to power who try to get votes by dividing our society and country," he said while addressing a rally in Vansada.

Dr. Singh further said the public health sector was not in a good state in Gujarat and new employment opportunities for the youth were also not being generated.

"Development in Gujarat is only for a few people. A big portion of the population here has remained untouched by this economic development. Because of the policies of the state government, there is an imbalance in the society," he said.

Gujarat will go to the polls in two phases on December 13 and 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 20.

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