Gujarat Civic Polls: Amit Shah votes with family in Ahmedabad; eyes 'BJP stronghold'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that the voters will establish Gujarat as the stronghold of the BJP, after casting his vote for the civic polls at Naranpura Sub Zonal Office in Ahmedabad, along with his family members.

The Home Minister said, "Local body elections have started in Gujarat today. Corporation, Municipal Corporation elections have started from today."

While expressing confidence, HM Shah added, "I am confident that today the people of Gujarat will cast their votes in large numbers and the family and they will establish Gujarat as the stronghold of the BJP."

He also appealed to the people to go out and vote. He said, "Voting is going on today in 6 municipal corporations of the state, I appeal to all the voters there to vote in maximum numbers."

The results for six municipal corporations will be declared on February 23, while results of 81 municipalities, 31 district panchayats, and 231 taluka panchayats results are scheduled to be declared on March 2.

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Gujarat Civic Polls 

Voting in the civic polls in six major cities of Gujarat will be held between 7 am and 5 pm on Sunday amid tight security and adherence to COVID-19 norms, officials said. The municipal corporation elections in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, and Jamnagar are being seen as a test for Chief Minister Vijay Rupani as it may set the tone for the Assembly polls slated for next year. Votes will be cast for a total of 575 seats with each ward having four corporators, and 2,276 candidates, comprising 577 from the BJP, 566 from the Congress, 470 from AAP, 91 from NCP, 353 from other parties, and 228 Independents, are in the fray, officials informed.

Votes will be counted on February 23, following which, on February 28, polls to 31 districts and 231 taluka panchayats, as well as 81 municipalities will be held, he added. During the campaign, the BJP played the "development" card, while the Congress, which has been out of power in these local bodies for a long time now, cited "lack of amenities" and the recent fuel price hike to turn the tide. The Aam Aadmi Party has claimed it would be an effective alternative to the BJP and Congress, while Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM will make its local bodies poll debut having fielded 21 candidates in six wards in Ahmedabad. Rupani, who tested positive for coronavirus during the campaign, is likely to vote in his hometown Rajkot on Sunday.

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(With ANI Inputs)