Congress candidate Shweta Bhatt, who will lock horns with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi from the Maninagar constituency, on Monday said that she is fighting for those people who believe in truth.
Shweta Bhatt, who is the wife of suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, said that she was contesting the assembly polls representative of the whole society.
“I am fighting for truth and for the women who believe that they should fearlessly come to the forefront. My fight is for those people who believe that truth should prevail and live with honesty,” she told mediapersons after casting her vote here.
Maninagar is a Modi stronghold and he has held this seat since 2002. Modi, who is looking at a third consecutive term at the helm in Gujarat, defeated the Congress candidate by around 75,000 votes in 2007.
Meanwhile, Jagruti Pandya, the widow of slain Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Haren Pandya, said that her aim was to seek justice for her husband”s death.
“I have no expectation nor do I believe in winning or losing these elections. I have just one aim and that is to seek justice for Haren Pandya”s death from the people of Ellis Bridge and that is why I am contesting the elections. The people of Ellis Bridge will decide on it,” she said.
Jagruti Pandya is contesting from the Ellis Bridge seat on a ticket from the regional Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP).
Haren Pandya, a very popular leader, twice won the seat in 1995 and 1998, and was murdered while on a morning walk in 2003 for which his family blamed Modi.
A confident Modi earlier today said that the people of the state would vote the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power for a third consecutive term.
Modi, who cast his ballot here in the second and final phase of the polling, said the BJP”s victory would be as grand as big voters turnout in the assembly polls.
“I thank all the voters. People of Gujarat will vote the Bharatiya Janata Party to power for a third consecutive term in this election,” Modi told mediapersons in Ranip, Gujarat.
“I am committed to the six crore Gujaratis. I live for them. I believe that I am also serving the country through my work in Gujarat. Gujarat is a part of the country and not outside it,” he added, when asked to comment on his Prime Ministerial ambitions.
BJP leader Amit Shah, who is contesting from Naranpura constituency, urged the voters to exercise their franchise with an aim to strengthen the democracy.
“I urge all the voters to exercise their right with an aim to strengthen the democracy and for the good of Gujarat they should choose a government which can provide stability, determined leadership, which will work for the welfare of the people, which a good track record and development and peace and tranquillity in the state,” he said.
About 38 percent polling has been recorded till 1 p.m. in the second and final phase of the assembly polls.
About 1.98 crore voters will decide the fate of 820 candidates including Modi in the second and final phase of the assembly polls that is presently underway in Gujarat.
The voting, which is taking place for 95 constituencies in this phase, began at 8 a.m. today.
The polling, which will take place in 40 constituencies in five districts of central Gujarat, 32 in five districts of north Gujarat, 17 in Ahmedabad city area and six in Kutch district, will come to an end at 5 p.m.
The Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure free and fair polling in this phase. It has appointed to 7,256 micro-observers for the purpose.
Senior police officials from other states have also been deployed as police observers in all sensitive districts.
The BJP has fielded its candidates for all the 95 seats in this phase. The Congress is contesting on 92 seats, while the Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) of Keshubhai Patel has fielded its candidates for 84 seats.
Around 71 percent polling was recorded in the first phase of the Gujarat assembly polls. Counting of votes in Gujarat will take place on December 20. (ANI)