Gujarat Polls: BJP Smells Victory, Congress Probes Fudged EVMs

Phase one of Gujarat elections was marred by allegations of faulty EVMs and EVM tampering via Bluetooth.

(Photo: The Quint)

Around 68 percent voter turnout was recorded in 89 seats, on 9 December, in the first phase of assembly polls in Gujarat, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress' heir-apparent Rahul Gandhi are locked in a bitter, high-stakes political duel.

The polling went rather peacefully, barring a couple of incidents in Porbandar where BJP and Congress workers resorted to sloganeering outside a polling booth. The turnout was rather slow in the morning, but picked up pace as the day progressed.

Morbi and Navsari recorded the highest turnout with 75 percent of people casting their votes, while the lowest voting was seen in Botad at 60 percent.

The day was marred by allegations of faulty EVMs being reported from across the state where polling was held.

EVM Tampering Reported in Porbandar

The first major complaint about EVM tampering was raised by senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia, who claimed that the EVMs can be connected to Bluetooth devices and tampered with. The Chief Election Officer BB Swain said that there is no way that bluetooth can be used to monkey around EVMs.

However, the allegation was debunked by the Election Commission. The team which went to the polling station in question, discovered that the Bluetooth device was a mobile phone of a polling agent stationed in the booth. 

The Chief Election Officer told The Quint that till noon, around 45 EVMs had been replaced across polling stations where issues were reported and that most of the faulty EVMs were discovered during mock voting which is conducted between 7 am and 8 am, before actual polling begins.

Towards the end of polling, a few clashes were reported between the Congress and the BJP workers as slogans where shouted outside polling booths suggesting voters to vote against the other party. The police were quick to the spot and managed to calm rising tempers without the use of force.

Surat Could Spring a Surprise

The recent release of a series of sex tapes could possibly prompt Surti Patidars to lend support to the saffron party, turning the tide in Surat.

A few days ago, a video clip featuring Congress candidate Dinesh Kachhadiya engaging in sexual acts went viral, just as YouTube videos allegedly featuring PAAS conveners from different districts did.

Surat was one of the hotspots of the Patidar movement. Ahead of the polls, several voters expressed resentment with the GST and demonetisation. The recent rallies held by Hardik Patel saw massive crowds rivaling those of PM Narendra Modi. Thus, such an unexpected twist in the trends has poised the results in Surat on a knife’s edge.

Rupani Looks Set to Take Rajkot

In Rajkot, a close contest is up between Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Congress leader Indranil Rajguru for the Rajkot West seat.

Rajguru, the richest candidate in the first phase of polls, had openly challenged Rupani. However, the trend shows the votes going in favour of the BJP as the seat has been a bastion of the saffron party since 1984.

The party expects a victory margin of at least 50,000 votes. On the other hand, the pre-poll tide seemed to go against the BJP in Patidar-dominated Gondal in Rajkot. Interestingly, in Jasdan, where The Quint reported thin crowds during PM Modi’s rally earlier this week, the voting pattern has been in BJP’s favour.

Meanwhile, the Rajkot Congress President Mahesh Rajput told media persons that EVM machines were fudged with and when clicking the button corresponding to the Congress candidate the lights next to the BJP candidate lights up.

He has claimed to have written to the election commission on the matter. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley called the EVM allegations as an alibi for a foreseeable defeat.

This time around, the Gujarati electorate appears to be playing its cards close to the chest.

Who Will Bhavnagar Pick?

The seven Assembly constituencies of Bhavnagar district have around 16.26 lakh voters.

The largest caste group in the district is the Koli Patels, an OBC community of Patidars and non-Rajput Kshatriyas . Karadiya Rajputs, the community that wanted Vaghani’s resignation, has 45,000 voters.

Jitu Vaghani, the sitting MLA, was hit by controversy following his tiff with local Rajput leader Dhansangh Mori over Gauchar (pastoral land).

The Rajput community wanted Vaghani’s resignation, but Amit Shah intervened and calmed tempers, twice. With the Rajput rage now pacified, and the BJP game for banning Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversial Padmavati, Vaghani looks set to take the seat.

On the other hand, Dilipsinh Solanki has the support of the Patidars and the non-Rajput Kshatriyas, who form a majority in the region.

Reports from Bhavnagar suggest a few seats will see Patidar and Congress reaping positives. Vaghani though certain of a victory is wary of the Patidar population in Bhavnagar West and dreads an unlikely alliance between Patidars and Kshatriyas. The two communities saw clashes during the mid-eighties due to the KHAM movement which alienated the voters from the Congress.

Weeks of Campaigning

The weeks leading up to the first phase of the polls saw heavy-duty campaigning by both the BJP and the Congress. While Modi addressed about 15 rallies, Gandhi spent more than seven days in Saurashtra and south Gujarat, addressing a number of meetings and emerging as the Congress pivot to take on the prime minister on his home turf.

The Congress, in political wilderness in Gujarat for nearly 22 years, is desperate to break the jinx. It has raised questions on BJP's Gujarat "development model", demonetisation and GST. The BJP is banking on its performance and Modi's popularity to counter any anti-incumbency factor or impact of the Patidar quota stir.

The second phase of voting will be held on 14 December and the result will be out on 18 December.

(With inputs from PTI)

Click here for The Quint’s special election offering from the ground in Gujarat.