Gujarat Elections: Polling Ends Amid EMV Hacking Allegations, Violation of Model Code of Conduct

Amid high-volatage drama, polling for second and final phase of Gujarat Assembly elections ended with Banaskantha in northern region of the state registering the highest turnout at 49 percent on Thursday.

The overall turnout was recorded at 62.3 percent till 4 pm. Banaskantha had highest turnout at 66 percent. Glitches in electronic voting machines (EVMs) were reported from Mehasana, Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Vadgam, which recorded highest number of complaints at 40 booths.

There are reports of scuffle between Congress and BJP workers at places, inluding Tower Bazar area in Anand, Gandhinagar and Dhanera town in Banaskantha districts. 

A total of 851 candidates were in the fray for 93 seats spread across 14 districts on the central and north Gujarat in the final phase of the polls, where 2.22 crore people eligible were expected to exercise their franchise.

Prominent candidates in the polls include Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who took on Jivabhai Patel of the Congress from Mehsana district. The fates of half a dozen top ministers, including junior Home Minister Pradipsinh Jadeja and Health Minister Shankar Chaudhary, were also sealed in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) that will be opened on the day of counting on December 18.

Prominent candidates in the Opposition camp include OBC leader Alpesh Thakor, who contested from Radhanpur and Congress-supported independent candidate Jignesh Mevani from Vadgam.

After casting his ballot at a polling station in Viramgam assembly constituency of Ahmedabad district, Patidar quota activist Hardik Patel told the media, “Congress is likely to get 100 seats in Gujarat elections. Vote against those who oppressed us. I am confident that 6 crore Gujaratis will win on December 18 (the day of results).”

Thakore, who spearheaded the OBC campaign in the state before formally joining the opposition party, was among the first voters to exercise their right to franchise. He fought against BJP’s Lavangji Thakor from Radhanpur in Patan district.

The 40-year-old leader sounded confident about his party, which is in the opposition for over two decades, winning this election. “It is a matter of happiness for me that I was the first voter to cast vote at my polling booth. We are committed to change the kind of politics happening in the state. The Congress is set to form the next government that will work for the poor, farmers, women and all sections of the society,” he told reporters after coming out of the polling booth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi created a controversy after he held a road show on polling day after casting his vote at the Nishan High School (booth number 115) in Sabarmati's Ranip locality of Ahmedabad. He showed his inked finger to thousands of supporters who had gathered outside the polling booth, amid chants of “Modi… Modi” with the BJP flag fluttering in the background.

The prime minister walked a certain distance to greet people standing on both sides of the road outside the polling booth. Later, he stood on the foot-board of his car and waived to the crowd.

Modi -- who allegedly behaved more like a campaigner of his party than the prime minister of the country during the entire campaign in the state -- was seen waving to the crowd and showing victory sign in the road show.

Calling it a violation of the model code of conduct (MCC), the Congress knocked the door of the Election Commission, accusing the prime minister of holding a roadshow to “influence voters” in the state.

“The Election Commission has become a puppet and constitutional norms are being violated. What is the reason that Amit Shah addressed the press meet at a public place like Ahmedabad airport, yet the Election Commission did not say anything. We demand that if EC has any shame for their position and the Constitution, they need to act,” said senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala alleging that the election watchdog has become a “frontal organisation of the BJP”.

“We would like to tell Modiji that roadshows and seaplanes will not change the Gujarat verdict,” he added.

Recalling Modi’s speech at the FICCI on Thursday, he said that the PM used industry body for political purposes and alleged that the EC never did anything.

However, the BJP is claiming that it was not an organised event but people had gathered there because they wanted to see Modi.

Hours before polling began, a political row erupted over Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s interview which was aired by a local television channel in Gujarat, allegedly violating the MCC. The BJP approached the EC complaining that the Congress chief violated the MCC. The EC has issued a notice to him.

Congress leader P Chidambaram also asked the EC, in a series of tweets, why it picked on the party’s president-elect Rahul Gandhi for giving media interviews while leaving out BJP leaders who did the same thing.

“Yesterday, Prime Minister made a speech. BJP’s president gave an interview. Railway Minister gave an interview. Why have all these escaped the EC’s attention? Why pick on only Mr Rahul Gandhi’s interview?” Chidambaram said.

The former finance and home minister said the BJP petitioning the EC is an act of “desperation”. An interview after the campaign ends, is a norm for every candidate and every campaigner in every election, he said.

“Allowing a roadshow of Prime Minister on voting day is a gross violation of code of conduct. It is an election campaign. What is the EC doing?” Chidambaram asked.

Acting on the Congress complaints, the election watchdog has sought a report from the state election commission.

Gujarat Chief Electoral Commissioner BB Swain said, “Have received a complaint regarding MCC violation after casting of the vote. It is a complaint which is is more anticipatory in nature which says crowd was there and this could be a roadshow. This complaint has been given to DEO Ahmedabad.”

Meanwhile, Congress workers gheraoed the central EC office in the national capital, alleging that the commission has lost it credibility.

A team of the Bharatiya Janata Party too met the chief election commission and gave a clarification on the PM’s road show.

What exit polls suggest

Noted psephologist Yogendra Yadav has predicted three-case scenario, which sees the ruling BJP lose in all possibilities.

Yadav divided the Gujarat electorate into three sections: Rural with 98 seats, Semi-urban with 45 seats and Urban with 39 seats.

Scenario 1 suggests that the BJP and the Congress are poised for a photo finish, with both the parties garnering 43 percent each. In this scenario, the BJP wins 86 seats, and the Congress 92 seats, of the total 182 seats. Yadav pinned this as the most “possible” outcome.

Scenario 2 is where the BJP gets 41 percent of the vote share, and Congress garners 45 percent. This “likely” scenario sees the BJP win 65 seats and the Congress win 113 seats.

Yadav, in scenario 3, said it is a case that “cannot be ruled out”. While he did not specify what the vote share and seat-win in this case could be, he said that this scenario would prove to be an “even bigger defeat for BJP”.

Yadav’s prediction comes after a series of pre-election tracker surveys were undertaken by India TV, Times Now-VMR, and ABP-CSDS respectively in their own capacities.

Times Now-VMR projects a big win for the BJP with 109 seats. The Congress, it predicts, will win 70 seats while others will win the rest three. The total seats in the Gujarat Assembly are 182 seats with 92 being the halfway mark.

The India Today–Axis exit poll, in Gujarat, predicts 99-113 seats for the BJP, while the Congress is likely to get anywhere between 68 and 84 seats. Others may get 1-4 seats, it says.

It further says the BJP will win 47 percent of the vote share, while the Congress may end up with 42 percent.

Republic-Jan ki Baat says shows even bigger victory for the BJP. The saffron party, it says, will win 115 seats in the 182-seat assembly.

Sahara Samay-CNX survey too says the BJP will retain power in Gujarat. It has predicted 110-120 seats for the saffron party and 65-75 seats for the Congress. The halfway mark in the 182-seat Gujarat Assembly is 92.

But these are all predictions which have measurably failed in different elections earlier. Only December 18 (the counting day) will show what Gujarat has decided for itself.