8:57 pm: Final tally has BJP winning a majority with 99 seats, which is 17 fewer than the 2012 assembly election in the state. Their total vote share in this election is 49.1%, which is an improvement from the last election (47.85%).
Congress won 77 seats, with a 41.4% of the vote share. This is a remarkable improvement from 2012, when it won 60 seats and got 38.93% of the vote share.
8:50 pm: BJP has won 98 seats, while Congress' tally is at 76. Both parties are leading in one constituency each. The Nationalist Congress Party has won one seat, the Bharatiya Tribal Party has won two seats, and independent candidates have won three others.
8:31 pm: Congress has won 76 seats, and is leading in one constituency.
7:56 pm: BJP has won 97 seats, and is leading in two constituencies. Counting is still underway in three seats.
7:44 pm: Congress has won 75 seats, and is leading in two constituencies. This is a marked improvement over its tally in 2012, when it won 60 seats. The party's vote share is 41.4%.
6:50 pm: PM Modi takes a dig at Congress, refers to caste politics as "poison".
30 years back, poison of caste was spread so badly in Gujarat that it took workers like me 30 years to get rid of it. In last few months there were attempts again to sow seeds of casteism, but people rejected it,I congratulate them, but ppl must be alert: PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/srlI5bsa3Y
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
6:45 pm: "The Gujarat polls are a source of double happiness for me," Modi tells audience. "I am so happy that after I left the state, my colleagues there continued the good work."
"After 2014, there is hunger for development. Even if you do not like BJP, do not try to derail the progress being made towards development."
6:36 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses press conference in BJP headquarters in New Delhi. "The Gujarat elections are historic," he says. "Any victory to an incumbent government is a big victory."
In Gujarat, BJP won all the seats it contested in 1989 Lok Sabha polls. We won most of the seats we contested in 1990. In 1995, in 1998, in 2002, in 2007 and in 2012 we won. We won most seats in Lok Sabha polls too: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/zRzXTk9bC1
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
6:29 pm: BJP wins 93 seats to get a majority in Gujarat. It will form government in the state for the sixth consecutive time.
6:16 pm: BJP is at the halfway mark, with 91 seats. It needs one more win to officially win the assembly election. It is leading in eight constituencies.
5:52 pm: BJP has won 85 seats, is projected to win in 14 others. It needs seven more seats to form government in Gujarat. Congress has won 71 seats, and is leading in six other constituencies.
5:17 pm: BJP wins 84 seats, leads in 15 constituencies. Congress wins in 70 seats, leads in seven others.
5:03 pm:
"I would like to give credit for this victory to the people of Gujarat, also give assurance that in the coming 5 years BJP will work towards what the people of the state want" says Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani pic.twitter.com/YpoQa4R9cH
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
4:30 pm: Congress party president Rahul Gandhi concedes defeat, thanks voters.
My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congress's greatest strength is its decency and courage.
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 18, 2017
4:25 pm: "We won comfortably increased our vote share," says Amit Shah of the Gujarat elections in a press conference. "It was not a close contest at all."
BJP's vote share so far, according to Election Commission data, is 49.1% in Gujarat. Congress' share is 41.4%.
4:18 pm: BJP has won in 68 seats, while Congress has won 59 seats.
I congratulate Gujarat voters for their very balanced verdict at this hour.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 18, 2017
It is a temporary and face-saving win, but it shows a moral defeat for BJP.
Gujarat voted against atrocities, anxiety and injustice caused to the common people. Gujarat belled the cat for 2019
4:08 pm: "We are now entering an era of politics of performance. In this new age, the party that does the most will get victory," Amit Shah says in press conference. "This is the sixth time we are going to form government in Gujarat."
We are confident that when we go into 2019 elections under the leadership of PM Modi we will once again get people's support and Modi ji's aim for the youth in 2022 will become a reality: Amit Shah, BJP President #HimachalResults#GujaratVerdictpic.twitter.com/ZpxjURYLvy
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
3:50 pm:
Congress workers who have spent months campaigning in Gujarat say, "We're disappointed but not despondent." #GujaratVerdict#GujaratElection2017@HuffPostIndia
— Betwa Sharma (@betwasharma) December 18, 2017
3:45 pm: BJP wins 53 seats, Congress wins 47. BJP is leading in 46 constituencies while Congress is up in 30 others.
3:31 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi declares victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, thanks voters.
"Election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh indicate a strong support for politics of good governance and development," he tweeted. "I salute the hardworking BJP Karyakartas in these states for their hardwork which has led to these impressive victories."
जीता विकास, जीता गुजरात।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 18, 2017
जय जय गरवी गुजरात!
3:20 pm: Hardik Patel alleges that EVM machines are tampered in Surat.
3:07 pm:
"I express my gratitude to the people of Vadgam for all their support. Now I will raise the voice of Gujarat's discriminated sections in the assembly," says #JigneshMevani who is leading by 19696 votes from Vadgam #ElectionResultspic.twitter.com/IsInhayZ4M
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
2:57 pm:
Flags out in Gandhinagar as BJP leads in 100 "Jai Shri Ram" #GujaratVerdict#GujaratElection2017@HuffPostIndiapic.twitter.com/DqmgHnbv9D
— Betwa Sharma (@betwasharma) December 18, 2017
2:19 pm: BJP has won 18 seats, and is leading in 82 constituencies. Congress has won 15 seats and is leading in 62 constituencies.
1:55 pm: Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani flashes victory sign. The 37-year-old is all set to win his maiden election from Vadgam.
— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) December 18, 2017
1:50 pm:
Abhi toh kuch nahi bolunga kyunki woh haal hi mein adhyaksh bane hain lekin 'sar mundwate hi ole pade': Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Rahul Gandhi #ElectionResultspic.twitter.com/6q8eMW1lZD
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
Undoubtedly, a major victory. The kind of work which Party workers have done right from booth workers level till PM's level, everybody put their best foot forward and both #Gujarat & #HimachalPradesh have recognised the good work going on in the name of development: N Sitharaman pic.twitter.com/HfkCleQlCZ
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
1:34 pm: BJP has won 10 seats, while Congress has won 8.
1:15 pm: BJP workers in various parts of the country start celebrating.
Maharashtra: BJP workers celebrate in Pune #GujaratVerdict#HimachalPradeshElectionspic.twitter.com/Qwa3QnhO3x
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
J&K: BJP workers celebrate in Jammu #GujaratVerdict#HimachalPradeshElectionspic.twitter.com/U46PBpRlCc
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
BJP workers celebrate outside party Headquarter in #Delhi as trends indicate party's victory in both #Himachal and #Gujaratpic.twitter.com/oyZyVi3Riz
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
Celebrations in #Mumbai as trends indicate BJP's victory in both #Himachal and #Gujarat#ElectionResults2017pic.twitter.com/bWpAQRmqOv
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
Scene at BJP Headquarter in #Delhi as trends indicate party's victory in both #Himachal and #Gujaratpic.twitter.com/x1LKJMGnta
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
12:48 pm: BJP has won in four constituencies, and is leading in 98 others. Congress has won one seat and is leading in 73 constituencies.
12:37 pm:
"It is a matter of happiness for us, this is the victory of development," says Union Minister Smriti Irani, on a question about Congress giving a tough fight she said, "jo jeeta wohi sikandar. It is victory of every booth worker's hard work & the people who trusted development" pic.twitter.com/oJMQKK45NV
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
12:28 pm: Gujarat deputy CM Nitinbhai Patel has taken a clear lead in Mahesana over Congress' Jivabhai Patel. BJP is leading by about 7,000 votes in the constituency.
12:25 pm:
"If Rahul Gandhi wants to visit another temple, he should go the Ram Temple that we will build in Ayodhya," says BJP worker Umesh Israni #GujaratVerdict#GujaratElection2017@HuffPostIndiapic.twitter.com/qJvxPiB9mA
— Betwa Sharma (@betwasharma) December 18, 2017
12:22 pm: BJP has won two seats and is leading in 102 constituencies. Congress has won in one seat and is leading in 71 constituencies.
12:00 pm: Gujarat CM Vijat Rupani will retain his Rajkot West seat.
11:43 am: BJP is leading in 103 constituencies, and has won in Porbandar. Congress is leading in 72 constituencies.
11:37 am: Election Commission declares BJP victory in Porbandar constituency. The BJP candidate won over their Congress rival by about 2,000 votes.
And so it begins at the BJP office in Gandhinagar: "Gujarat hamara hai, poora Bharat hamara hai"..."Desh ka leader kaisa ho, Narendra Modi jaisa ho"... "Bharat Mata Ki Jai"... "Jai Shri Ram Jai Shri Ram" #GujaratVerdict#GujaratElection2017@HuffPostIndiapic.twitter.com/tvKIPGXqey
— Betwa Sharma (@betwasharma) December 18, 2017
11:30 am: It's a neck and neck contest between Gujarat deputy CM Nitinbhai Patel and Congress' Jivabhai Patel in Mahesana with barely a difference of 500 votes between them. BJP is leading in the constituency, but by a whisker.
11:12 am: Dalit leader and independent candidate Jignesh Mevani has a clear lead in Vadgam, while OBC leader Alpesh Thakor who is contesting as a Congress candidate from Radhanpur is also leading with 9,000 more votes than the trailing BJP candidate.
11:00 am:
PM Modi flashes victory sign as BJP takes unassailable lead in #GujaratVerdict, #HimachalPradeshElections
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) December 18, 2017
Read @ANI story | https://t.co/Xduu9Dr1mKpic.twitter.com/c4Ey7YDoWQ
10:57 am: Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani has a clear lead at Rajkot West with close to 33,000 votes. Congress' Indranil Rajguru is far behind at 17,551 votes.
ALSO READ: Congress Can Never Hijack Hindutva From The BJP, Says Gujarat's Deputy CM
10:55 am: BJP leading in 99 constituencies, while Congress is up in 71. BJP's vote share is 49.1% as compared to Congress' 41.5%.
10:42 am:
"Will form Government in both Himachal and Gujarat with clear majority" says Home Minister Rajnath Singh #HimachalPradeshElections2017#GujaratVerdictpic.twitter.com/TZymBvklV7
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
10:38 am:
Sadhu Ram Yadav has come all the way from Rajasthan to Gujarat to shout "Modi Modi" - at the BJP office in Gandhinagar. #GujaratVerdict#GujaratElection2017pic.twitter.com/VAxNLF71nW
— Betwa Sharma (@betwasharma) December 18, 2017
10:27 am: BJP leads in 95 out of 182 constituencies, Congress leads in 68. The BJP vote share is currently at 48.7%.
10:12 am: Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani swings back up with a clear lead in Rajkot West constituency. He is about 4,000 votes ahead of Congress' Indranil Rajguru. Counting is still in progress.
10:02 am: BJP leading in 86 constituencies, while Congress is leading in 66. Vote share between the two parties is divided almost evenly.
9:55 am: Independent candidate Jignesh Mevani, a Dalit leader fighting his first election, is leading in Vadgam constituency, with the BJP candidate trailing. Read his interview with HuffPost Indiahere.
9:47 am: Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani is trailing in Rajkot West, with Congress' Indranil Guru leading with about 400 more votes than Rupani. It's a neck and neck contest.
9:44 am: Gujarat deputy CM Nitinbhai Patel leading in Mahesana constituency with 4,297 votes. Congress' Jivabhai Ambalal Patel is close behind with 3,703 votes. Counting is still in progress.
9:33 am: BJP leads in 56 constituencies, with Congress close behind with leads in 50 constituencies. The Nationalist Congress Party, Bharatiya Tribal Party, and an independent candidate are leading in one constituency each.
9:22 am: BJP leading in 48 constituencies, Congress in 40. The Nationalist Congress Party is leading in one constituency.
9:18 am: Early trends show BJP leading in 24 constituencies, while Congress leads in 21 constituencies.
9:03 am: Congress leading in13 constituencies, while BJP is up in 10 constituencies.
8:59 am: BJP leads in seven constituencies: Bhavnagar East, Bhavnagar Rural, Ghatlodia, Nadiad, Porbandar, Umbergaon, Valsad. Congress is leading in six: Bhavnagar West, Dahod, Gariadhar, Mahudha, Mandvi, Talaja.
#UttarPradesh Supporters perform 'Havan' in #Varanasi as counting of votes continues for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections pic.twitter.com/V5yOEgOo71
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 18, 2017
8:52 am: BJP leading in six constituencies, Congress in three. 51% of vote share to BJP at the moment, while 42.5% to Congress.
8:47 am: BJP and Congress both leading in two constituencies each.
EC Official Trends for #GujaratElection2017: BJP leading on 2 seats, Porbandar & Bhavnagar East; Congress also leading on 2 seats, Mandvi & Nadiad.
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2017
8:00 am: Counting of votes has begun in Gujarat, where exit polls suggest a win for the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has not lost in the state assembly elections since 1995.
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