2nd phase of Gujarat polls: 10% voting in 2 hours

Gandhinagar, Dec 14 (IANS) The first few hours of polling in the second and final phase of the Gujarat elections on Thursday saw very few voters following a dip in the temperature. Ten per cent voting was recorded in two hours, an official said, adding the process will pick up as the day progresses.

There were several complalints made to the Election Commission against the electronic voting machines in and around Vadodara city. At many places, the polling was halted due to such malfunctioning.

Over two crore voters will chose from 851 candidates who are in the fray in this last phase of polling that began in 93 assembly constituencies across 14 districts at 8 a.m. and will continue till 5 p.m.

There were reports of skirmish in Dhanera town in the Banaskantha, where a poll official was attacked by a group, police said.

Many bigwigs, including union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, state Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki and Patidar leader Hardik Patel have cast their vote.

Jaitley cast his vote in Ahmedabad; Nitin Patel cast his vote from the Kadi region; Solanki reached his native Mendarda village in Borsad to cast his vote and Hardik Patel cast his vote in Viramgam.

At many places in urban areas, people themselves were seen creating awareness and urging members of housing societies to come out and vote.

Though the weather has turned chillier than it was in the first phase on December 9, when Gujarat recorded over 60 per cent polling, it is believed that after the day warms up, more polling will take place.