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Updated December 1st, 2022 at 12:13 IST

Gujarat elections: AAP's Gopal Italia alleges slow voting in Katargram, blames EC

Gopal Italia claimed that slow polling is being done "deliberately" in the Katargam constituency and blamed the Election Commission (EC) for it.

Reported by: Ajay Sharma
Gujarat elections
Image: Twitter/@Gopal_Italia | Image:self
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Amid the polling in Gujarat for the assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state chief Gopal Italia claimed that slow polling is being done "deliberately" in the Katargam constituency and blamed the Election Commission (EC) for it. Attacking the EC, the AAP leader contesting from the Katargram seat said, "In this way if you (Election Commission) have to work only under the pressure of BJP goons, then why do you get elections done?" 

Making a big charge, Gujarat AAP chief Gopal Italia alleged, "Voting is being done deliberately slow in Katargam AC. In this way, if you (ECI) 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." 

Notably, the Katargram seat has become a prestige battle for AAP as its state president Gopal Italia is contesting from here. A Patidar leader, Italia earned BJP's ire in the run-up to the election after old videos where he abused PM Modi and made a disparaging reference to temples surfaced. He is contesting against Vinodbhai Moradiya of the BJP who trounced his nearest rival by a massive margin of 79,230 votes in the 2017 polls. On the other hand, Congress has fielded Kalpesh Variya. 

As per the Election Commission of India, the voter turnout increased to 18.86% as of 11 am. In Katargram, the turnout is 18.16% as of 11 am, according to the ECI.

Fight between BJP & Congress: BJP's Harsh Sanghavi

Ruling out a three-way contest in Gujarat while speaking exclusively to Republic TV, state Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi stated, "Even in the past, Congress had tried to fight the election by bringing the third party. First Shankersinh Ji, then Keshubhai Patel. This is sad and unfortunate. But the people of Gujarat are clever. Every time, the people of Gujarat have thwarted their dreams."

 

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Published December 1st, 2022 at 12:13 IST

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