Gujarat Elections

While Gujarat experienced a below-average voter turnout today for the Lok Sabha Elections at a mere 55.22%, several constituencies registered striking numbers.

Notably, Gujarat’s polling was significantly lower than the national average of around 60.09% in the phase 3 polling.

Higher turnout coincides with growing stakes?

Valsad

South Gujarat’s Valsad constituency will be in the spotlight across Gujarat for this year’s general elections, as the seat witnessed around 68.12% polling today, the highest in the state for the second consecutive time.

The head-on battle between the BJP and the Congress party will further interest the masses, as the saffron party’s Dhaval Patel faces Anant Patel.

Valsad registered a massive 75.22% polling in the 2019 general elections, with the BJP’s Dr KC Patel emerging as the clear winner with a 61.25% vote share. This year’s successively healthy voter turnout is reckoned to benefit the BJP, with Dhaval emerging to be the better of the two Patels.

Banaskantha

Amid the dull polling across the state, North Gujarat’s Banaskantha saw a heavy turnout, with the constituency registering a staggering 64.48%.

While the seat mirrored the voter turnout of the 2019 general elections, the winning probability and margins are suspected to paint a different picture this year.

Women power takes centre stage at this seat, as both the BJP and Congress have chosen to field female candidates. While the BJP’s Rekha Chaudhary brings a lineage of political and social prominence, Geni Thakor from Congress is known for her grassroots mobilisations.

Notably, Congress has matched up their opponents in Banaskantha district in the assembly polls, bagging two seats, including Vav by Geni herself. The grand old party can turn the wave towards them, benefitting from this regional advantage.

Chhotaudepur (ST)

A tribal-dominated seat, reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (ST), witnessed a hefty voter turnout of 63.76%. The seat, predominantly held by the BJP, is set to witness another shift in parliamentarians, with the saffron party opting for Jashu Rathwa against Congress’ Sukhram Rathwa.

A higher turnout may yield a 2019 repeat for the BJP, as the party recorded a landslide victory, securing a 62% vote share in the seat.

Lower turnout equals plummeting BJP chances?

Amreli

The stage is set for a contest between Bharat Sutariya of the BJP and Jenny Thummar of the Congress in Amreli constituency, which saw a disastrous 45.59% voter turnout.

Replacing its three-time MP on the seat, the BJP has fielded its local district panchayat’s president. This move, however, sparked an internal scuffle within the party’s regional faction. Against him stands Thumar, who aims to retain the seat once held by her family.

A lower voter turnout may shrink the margins between the two parties.

Porbandar

A noteworthy battle is set to unfold between first-time electoral candidate and union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Congress stalwart Lalit Vasoya.

Vasoya, a local MLA and seasoned grassroots leader, may challenge Mandaviya’s stature, which has been prominent at the Centre since 2016.

Porbandar’s lower voter turnout of 46.51% may play spoilsport for the BJP, as the seat saw a massive drop of 10% in voter turnout compared to last year. Vasoya’s Congress faction could benefit from this plunge.

The assembly seat undergoing bye-polls in this parliamentary seat, Manavadar, also registered a significantly low polling rate of 48.45%.