In Gujarat all preparations have been completed for tomorrow's polling for 1st phase of assembly elections. A total of 87 constituencies spread over 15 districts of Surendranagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Dangs, Navasari, Valsad and Tapi from Saurashtra and south Gujarat and four seats in Ahmedabad district will go for poll in first phase of assembly polling.
AIR correspondent reports that political fate of 846 including 46 women is on stake on tomorrow's polling. Several senior leaders from both major political congress and Bharatiya Janata Party and newly floated Gujarat Parivartan party are trying their luck in this phase of polling.
Most of the sitting MLAs are in fray from their traditional seats. Above 50 candidates are in contest for two to seven consecutive term.
GPP founder president and former Chief Minister of the state Mr. Keshu Bhai Patel, Presidents of state units of both congress and BJP Arjun Modhwadia and RC Faldu, leader of Congress Legislative Party Shakti Singh Gohil, speaker of state assembly Ganpat Bhai Vaswa are in contest for first phase of polling.
Besides many Modi government ministers including heavy weight Vaju Bhai Vala, Mangu bhai Patel, Vasu Trivedi, Narrottam Patel, Ranjit Bhai Gilitwala are also included in prominent candidates.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made for free and fair polling and several steps have also been taken to increase the poll percentage.
A total of 44 thousand 579 polling stations have been set up in all poll bound 87 constituencies for above one crore 80 lakhs voters.
Of them above 17 thousand polling centres have been identified as critical and extra precautions have been take at all critical polling stations.
First time senior police officers from other states have been deployed by the Election Commission as police observer in all sensitive districts.
In several sensitive constituencies the election authorities have ordered for video trailing of candidates. This precaution has also been taken at the constituencies labelled as sensitive from expenditure point of view. Inter state and inter district borders have been sealed and patrolling has been intensified in border area to check activities of miscreants.
