Gujarat Election Results 2017 Final Tally: Under PM Modi, BJP closes in on a Congress-mukt India

# Congress claims a moral victory. Rahul Gandhi thanks workers for fighting 'anger with dignity'

# Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor both win from their respective constituencies

For full coverage of the Assembly election results, click here.

22:30 Read more: Gujarat, Himachal Election Results – Here are the best political pictures of the day

21:24 According to final tally, BJP has won 99 seats while Congress got 77 seats in Gujarat.

[caption id="attachment_2464105" align="alignleft" width="621"] Partywise vote share[/caption]

19:35 The BJP's performance in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development politics over "dirty caste politics" of Rahul Gandhi-led Congress, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.

"All sections of society have voted above caste politics. This is a win of development politics of the Prime Minister. In Gujarat, OBC, patidar, dalit all were used for caste politics by the Congress but caste politics could not get success," senior BJP leader said.

19:08 The Prime Minister's address to the BJP cadre has ended. Overall, a change of tone in pre- and post-election speeches by the PM. PM Modi largely stayed away from targeting the Congress and instead focussed on the developmental reform agenda.

19:00 This is not an ordinary victory. It's special. Some people can't digest BJP victory, don't waste your time on them. Focus on New India by 2022: Modi

18:59 The BJP cadre is enthusiastic. They're confidently responding with a resounding "Vikas Jeetega" to the PM's "Jeetega Bhai Jeetega" phrase.

18:57 The "poison" of casteism 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 people must remain alert, the Prime Minister says.

18:56  People cannot bear if anyone makes fun of 'vikas', says PM Modi

18:55 Since 2014 Lok Sabha election, India has been hungry for development. Whether you like BJP or not but nobody will be allowed to derail India's development, says PM Modi

18:50 The PM appears unperturbed by Rahul Gandhi and Congress' show in Gujarat. You can dislike BJP but can't derail vikas, he says. Once again, PM Modi reiterates "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" promise.

18:47 The results in Himachal Pradesh show that people will reject parties lacking development agenda and are embroiled in all wrong acts. Today, when a government comes after five years is hailed as a miracle. Gujarat is an exception in terms of anti-incumbency. It has supported BJP and its allies since 1990s, says PM Modi.

18:45 BJP has defeated anti-incumbency in Gujarat with another term, says Modi. The Gujarat victory brings happiness for me personally, he adds. He lauds the state leadership since he left the Gujarat CM's post 2-3 years ago for duties at the Centre.

18:40 I bow down before the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh as they chose the path of development. The nation has rallied in support of demonetisation and GST, says PM Modi.
Himachal Pradesh election results show there's no place for corruption: PM Modi18:30 Victory shows entire India is joining BJP's vikas yatra, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

18:20 With the BJP looking set to win Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may become "more dictatorial", fears CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy. The Left leader said he now expected the BJP to pursue the "Hindutva policies" more vigorously. "Narendra Modi may become more dictatorial. It is not a positive sign for Indian democracy," Reddy told PTI.

18:11 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at the BJP's headquarters for a meeting of the party's parliamentary board.

17:50 The Gujarat elections was a referendum on BJP reforms, especially the demonetisation and GST, both of which were felt by the trading community. However, the win for the saffron party illustrates that it had not been a scare at all.

Keeping the PM as its main face and leading light, the saffron brigade harped on the idea of having the same government at the Centre and the state for the sake of Gujarat’s prosperity.

Read | No stopping Modi wave, BJP rides again on back of its talisman

17:38 Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani tweets after winning from Vadgam constituency: "Narendra Modiji, I am also a son of Gujarat, so have a big heart even if you don’t have a 56-inch chest. Attacks on winning candidates was your idea or Amit Shah’s as it is not part of Gujarat’s tradition."

17:27 What the election results point out is that while nationalist fervour is profitable and will continue to be whipped up, appeasement based on caste lines is the new order of the day.

Budget 2018, the last full Budget by the government in its current tenure, will have to incorporate the learnings of the Gujarat polls.

READ | Gujarat election scare will force BJP to present a populist Budget

17:07 Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is speaking now. He says the BJP has defeated the politics of caste.

16:58 Over in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP's likely chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal has been defeated. The party has some thinking to do: install Dhumal as CM or opt for a new face? Follow our live coverage here.

16:53 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee: “I congratulate Gujarat voters for their very balanced verdict at this hour. It is a temporary and face-saving win, but it shows a moral defeat for the BJP. Gujarat voted against atrocities, anxiety and injustice caused to the common people. Gujarat belled the cat for 2019.”

16:42 And now back to Amit Shah, who finally addresses the question of why his Mission 150 wasn’t a success: “I did not know the Congress campaign would stoop to such a low level,” he says. “We were on the receiving end of an extremely bad campaign... look at Mani Shankar Aiyar’s statement about the Prime Minister.”

16:37: Finally, a reaction from Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who's taken to Twitter to make his feelings known:

"The Congress party accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states. I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal with all my heart for the love they showed me.

"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."

16:33 Asked about allegations of EVM tampering, Shah testily tells a reporter to ask the Congress what happened in Punjab in the Assembly elections earlier this year.

16:31 The BJP Parliamentary Board will meet at around 6pm, where they will discuss whether Vijay Rupani will retain the chief ministership among other issues.

16:29  Amit Shah cites the BJP's victory in the business hub of Surat to highlight the fact that the government's demonetisation gamble worked.

16:23 Amit Shah attacks the Congress, accusing the Opposition party of reducing the discourse to new lows during the campaign.

16:19 Shah says the results augur well for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and hopes the BJP will get a huge mandate in those polls.

16:16 This is a victory of development over dynasty and polarisation, says Amit Shah. In a reference to the tie-up with caste leaders, Shah says the Congress 'outsourced' the election and lost.

16:15 Amit Shah says the top Congress leaders have been defeated and the BJP has increased its vote share in several pockets.

16:10 Hailing the victories as a new era, Shah says the BJP's 'politics of performance' and development are behind the party's twin successes.

16:08 BJP President Amit Shah is speaking now. He says the BJP is elated to emerge victorious in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Shah thanks the party workers for their role in retaining Gujarat and wresting Himachal Pradesh from the Congress.

16:07 Ashok Gehlot, the Congress' in-charge for Gujarat, is addressing the media. He says the party fought unitedly and claims the BJP used diversionary tactics to win the election.

16:01 The Congress press conference has begun. Stay tuned.

15:54 Rebel with a cause: Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela, who left the Congress just months before the Assembly elections, says the Congress needs to introspect. "All factors were in favour of the Congress — Patidars, OBCs and Dalits. Despite all this, Congress has lost," he says.

15:47 The Sensex has closed 138 points higher after falling 800 points intraday, while the Nifty has ended the day 55 points after tumbling more than 250 points in the opening hour.

15:37 The Prime Minister has tweeted: "Election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh indicate a strong support for politics of good governance and development. I salute the hardworking BJP Karyakartas in these states for their hardwork which has led to these impressive victories.

"I bow to the people of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for their affection and trust in BJP. I assure them that we will leave no stone unturned in furthering the development journey of these states and serve the people tirelessly."

15:34 "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 Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who has won from Vadgam.

15:31 Just a quick point on Hardik Patel. He hasn't provided proof to back his claims of hacking by the BJP.

15:28 BJP President Amit Shah is being mobbed by jubilant supporters at the party's headquarters in New Delhi. He will address the press shortly.

15:23 "If ATMs can be hacked then why not EVMs. I congratulate the BJP that has won the elections by tampering EVMs,” says Hardik Patel.

15:20 EVM tampering is an issue, Surat and Rajkot had problems, the count has changed there. I have been talking about EVM tampering for 3 days. Our struggle will continue, I belong to no party: Hardik Patel

15:16 "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," said Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who is leading by 19,696 votes from Vadgam

15:14 We can say going by the results that people of Gujarat have woken up finally...EVM tempering is a big issue. The people have voted for a change, more effort is needed, said Patidar leader Hardik Patel while addressing the press.

15:00 Official tally from the Election Commission: BJP has won 17 seats and is leading in 84 while Congress has won 15 and is leading in 61 seats.

14:55 Gujarat Minister Chimanbhai Sapariya is trailing Congress's Rameshbhai Kalariya n Jamjodhpur.

14:43 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis: "The BJP came up with the politics of vishwas (trust) and vikas (development) for Gujarat and people responded to it positively."

14:35 Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel is ahead of Congress candidate Jivabhai Patel in Mehsana. He was trailing in the earlier rounds of counting.

14:27 Union minister Smriti Irani has probably given us the quote of the day: "Rahul Gandhi went to temples, but god blessed Amit Shah."

14:23 The BJP has now slipped below the 100-seat mark in Gujarat, a bit of a psychological setback.

14:19 After trailing in the early rounds, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has won the Rajkot West seat by a margin of 54,300 votes over his Congress rival.

14:14 A setback for the Congress: Its state unit chief Shaktisinh Gohil has been defeated.

14:11 Asked about Rahul Gandhi, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar minces no words: "In his opening innings he scored zero," says the former defence minister.

14:10 The BJP has secured a sixth term in Gujarat and put an end to anti-incumbency fears. But it would surely be getting into introspection mode after a dismal performance in the Saurashtra Kutch region.

Rural voters have always been Congress’ favoured votebank and Rahul Gandhi’s pre-poll promise of waiving off farm loans was an attempt to endear itself to the rural population which had faced the brunt of demonetisation. Read the full story here.

13:53 Over in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP is coasting to victory, leading in 45 out of 68 seats. Follow live coverage here.

13:47 Union Minister Prakash Javadekar: “Congress has to introspect. The era of the 80s is over and Congress must realise this. Congress played caste politics, but could not win. PM Modi doesn't make false promises. Congress has failed in their attempt to divide society. This is a 'New India'.”

13:37 Sensex's big swing

The Sensex swung 1,100 points from red to green in early trade on Monday after it became clear that the BJP would win Gujarat. Between 2010 and 2017, the Sensex has seen a swing of 1,000 points on three previous occasions:

13:30 Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha: The results are below our expectations. We were confident of winning the elections.

13:26 And here’s an immediate response from former Chief Election Commissioner of India HS Brahma: "I firmly believe that our EVMs, VVPATs cannot be tampered with. This matter should be closed once and for all as it is tried and tested. EVM is a standalone machine, question of hacking doesn't arise."

13:21 BJP victory because of EVMs, says Cong's Sanjay Nirupam

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam today said the BJP's victory in Gujarat was not because of the people in the state but because of EVMs.

He also termed electronic voting machines a "big threat to Indian democracy".

"When the entire Gujarat was against the BJP and empty chairs could be seen during the prime minister's poll rallies, this victory for the BJP is not by the people of Gujarat but by the EVMs.

"We suspected this right from the beginning. All beware, this is a big threat to Indian democracy," the president of the Mumbai unit of the Congress said in a tweet.

13:13 ALERT: OBC leader Alpesh Thakor has won from Radhanpur.

13:05 Congress President Rahul Gandhi may speak at the party headquarters in New Delhi at 2pm.

12:54 The Bharatiya Janata Party has won an underwhelming victory in Gujarat. And, ironically, one reason the result is a damp squib in this laboratory of Hindutva could be the measures the BJP government at the Centre took to protect the animal that Hindus revere, the holy cow. Click here for more.

12:46 Will Vijay Rupani stay on as CM? Sambit Patra says the BJP's Parliamentary board will take the final call.

12:43 BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra strikes a defiant tone when asked about the BJP not matching its 2012 tally. "There are very few instances in India of a government being formed comfortably after a government has been in power for 22 years," he says.

12:40 We're doing our best to decode these results for you, but Twitter user @shaitaankhopdi has probably summed it up best:

Amit Shah targeted 150
28% GST on 150 = 42Gujjus delivered 108
​#GujaratVerdict #Explained

12:35 Still no word from Rahul Gandhi. The Congress chief attended Parliament but steered clear of the media.

12:30 "Rahul Gandhi has made a tremendous impact,” says Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. “A lot of enthusiasm has been generated. The real economic issues will remain relevant, not just in Gujarat but in other states as well. We are very happy with the results. This is one of the many battles that we need to fight. Do not forget that there are 29 states. Trends are positive. People vote for complex reasons."

Tharoor may be right about the trends being positive, but the truth is that the BJP now rules 19 out of 29 states.

12:25 BJP leader Ram Madhav tweets: Casteist agenda of Hardik, Jignesh, Alpesh troika has helped Congress or cost it the election? Congress has to search for answers coolly after all the details come out. BJP, in its 5th consecutive victory, will celebrate but candidly analyse too.

12:20 Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who was contesting as an Independent, has won in Vadgam.

12:12 Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha has been adjourned for the day after the Opposition created a ruckus as it demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise for targeting former PM Manmohan Singh, who had met a Pakistani delegation recently.

12:08 For constituency-wise results, head over to our parallel live blog for in-depth information about the winners and losers from across Gujarat.

12:05 BJP President Amit Shah will address a press conference at the party's headquarters at 2.30pm.

11:48 The BJP's bickering ally Shiv Sena on Monday heaped praise on Rahul Gandhi, lauding the newly appointed Congress president for "fighting the Gujarat poll battle without bothering about the result".

11.45 In case you're wondering, there has been no official reaction yet from Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

11:38 Over the last three-and-a-half years, the PM Narendra Modi-Amit Shah juggernaut has expanded the BJP's footprint from eight states to 19 states. In light of today's results, take a look at India's updated political map.

11:30 Here's a look at the vote-share as of 11am.

11:28 Official figures from the Election Commission: BJP leading in 101 seats, Congress in 74, Bhartiya Tribal Party in 2, NCP in 1 and Independent candidates in 3 seats.

11:25 "Rahul Gandhi did put up a good fight but the people of Gujarat and Himachal have voted for development," says Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

11:20 Meanwhile, the markets are in the green now that the BJP is winning both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Here's how D-Street reacted.

11:15 Here's an update on some of the bigwigs:

# Vijay Rupani leading by 15,442 votes
# Alpesh Thakor leading by 7,919 votes
# Deputy CM Nitin Patel leading by 381 votes
# Independent Candidate Jignesh Mevani leading by 9,471 votes

11:12 Minister of State Jitender Singh says the BJP is happy with the numbers in Gujarat. “Voters have proved that the Patidar agitators were no factor, especially in Surat,” he says.

11:01 “We will form governments with a clear majority in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh,” says Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

10:55 PM Narendra Modi has just arrived in Parliament, flashing a victory sign as he gets out of his car.

10:50 BREAKING: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has won from Rakjot West.

10:43 Ultimately BJP is going to register victory, contrary to early trends BJP is leading almost everywhere now: BJP's Nitinbhai Patel who is presently trailing by over 2000 votes from Mahesana.

10:33 Ashok Gehlot, who was in charge of the Congress' Gujarat campaign, reacts to the defeat: "Rahul Gandhi's campaign was all about democracy. The Congress is performing well. Irrespective of final results, Rahul Gandhi is the winner. Rahul ran an issue-based campaign. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah only played with the emotions of people. This is not healthy for democracy."

10:25 BJP leader Subramanian Swamy: I put on record that 95+_ was predicted throughout to me by Nalapat and my daughter Suhasini. Foreigners: 80+_. Ram Mandir is the difference

10:24 Curious about the constituency-wise results? Head over to our parallel live blog for in-depth information about the winners and losers.

10:20 If you're wondering what's happening in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP currently leads 40 seats to 24, which is past the halfway mark of 35. Follow live coverage here.

10:17 Here's the official word from the Election Commission, whose trends show the BJP crossing the majority mark of 92 and the Congress ahead in 64 seats.

10:14 How have the two parties fared in different regions? Trends show the BJP suffering setbacks in Saurashtra but compensating for those losses with gains in the traditional Congress bastion of central Gujarat.

10:08 Anandiben Patel says the Congress made false promises about reservation to voters.

10:03 Former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel says the final results will see the BJP's numbers rise.

10:00 After a sharp fall in early trade, order has been restored to the markets and both indices are now in the green. As of 10am, the Sensex is up 50.86 points or 0.15% at 33513.83, and the Nifty up 19.60 points or 0.19% at 10352.90. Follow live coverage here.

09:54 "We will form the government in Gujarat. Will wait for final figures. Even if BJP wins, we are the real winners," says Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi.

09:51 The picture is changing again and the BJP lead is now widening. It's now 103 to 75, which is closer to what the exit polls had predicted.

09:49 Markets recover after taking a tumble in opening trade

As of 9.30am, the 30-share BSE Sensex was down 408.61 points or 1.22 percent to 33,054.36 and the 50-share NSE Nifty fell 128.50 points or 1.24 percent to 10,204.80.

09:48 Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is currently leading by 7,600 votes in Rajkot West.

09:45 Official spokespersons of both parties are refused to call the election yet.

09:43 "Let the final results come," says Congress' Gujarat in-charge Ashok Gehlot as counting continues.

09:39 Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani are both leading, as is the party's state chief Shaktisinh Gohil.

09:36 The gap has now widened with the BJP leading 100-79. It's almost safe to say that the BJP will retain power in Gujarat, but only by the skin of its teeth.

09:33 The BJP has won Himachal Pradesh, crossing the halfway mark of 35. This means Virbhadra Singh has been ousted and Prem Kumar Dhumal will likely return as Chief Minister of the hill state. Follow live coverage here.

09:30 Trends show the BJP has now crossed the halfway mark and is now at 94 seats. But these are still leads and the picture could yet change dramatically.

09:28 Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot says the party's campaign has been a success. The numbers appear to agree, but can the Congress go on and win the state?

09:26 Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah: Anyway you look at it, after 41 rallies by the PM in Gujarat anything less than a sweeping victory will be a cause for much concern for the BJP.

09:24 The markets have recovered slightly, but the Sensex is still 600 points down. Follow our live market coverage here.

09:22 It's even closer now. 86-84 in favour of the BJP.

09:20 Meanwhile, the BJP now leads 87 to 81 seats.

09:19 These leads have shaken up the markets, and how! The Nifty has opened more than 250 points lower while the Sensex has opened more than 800 points lower.

09:13 It's a tough race in Himachal, too, where the BJP leads currently leads the Congress 22-14. Follow our live coverage here.

09:10 The BJP is now within reach of the magic figure of 92. Just 7 seats to go. Important to note that these are just leads.

09:08 The BJP now leads 81 to 69 and it seems the BJP is facing a backlash in Surat over GST and demonetisation.

09:06 More bad news for the BJP. Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel is also trailing.

09:05 The majority mark is now within sight for both the BJP and the Congress. The BJP is at 73 and the Congress leads in 63. The number to watch is 92.

09:03 Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is now trailing in Rajkot West.

09:00 It looks like we have a fight on our hands. It's now 63 to 52 in favour of the BJP. Amit Shah might be feeling a tad nervous all of a sudden. Mission 150 is certainly impossible now.

08:58 TV reports suggest that counting has been stopped in Jamnagar following violent clashes. We'll bring you more on that development once the details are clearer.

08:55 The margin has significantly reduced. The BJP is leading in 59 seats while the Congress leads in 47.

08:53 The markets will open in a short while from now. With the BJP in the lead, you can expect Dalal Street to be in a good mood. We'll bring you live coverage.

08:50 The Congress is getting closer now, but the BJP still leads 45-39.

08:49 Bad news for the Congress: OBC leader Alpesh Thakor, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and Gujarat state chief Shankersinh Gohil are all trailing.

08:48 The story of the early trends: How the BJP has fared in Saurashtra.

08:45 Leads now available for 65 seats. It's BJP 43, Congress 22.

08:40 The BJP is now leading in 34 seats while the Congress is leading in 18 seats.

08:38 An important update: The BJP is leading in several seats in the Patidar heartland, where the Congress was hoping to turn the tide with Hardik Patel's support.

08:36 Current status: BJP - 6, Congress - 3

08:34 REMINDER: To get a majority in Gujarat, a party needs to get 92 seats in the 182-member house.

08:32 Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is currently ahead in his constituency of Rajkot West.

08:30 The leads are coming in thick and fast now. The BJP currently leads 25-13.

08:28 It's now 4-1 to the BJP.

08:27 For updates on the Himachal Pradesh results, click here.

08:24 The BJP now leads 18 to 5. Important to remember that these are leads only and the picture could change.

08:21 "I assure you that there can be no tampering with the EVMs" says Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AK Joti amid claims of tampering.

08:18 It's 11 to the BJP in Gujarat versus three for the Congress.

08:13 Early trends from TV channels suggest the BJP is leading in 7 seats while the Congress is leading in 4.

08:10 As is with many an election in India, the Gujarat election result is by no means a foregone conclusion and exit polls can easily be proven wrong. In fact, some of BJP’s own allies expressed disagreement with the exit polls, saying the BJP is by no means guaranteed a win when the counting of votes takes place on Monday. Members of the Congress have also made it quite clear that they do not buy the picture exit polls are painting and that the party will surprise everyone with the results.

08:05 We'll bring you some early trends soon. Till then, take a look at some of the memorable quotes during the campaign.

08:00 Counting is officially underway. Expect early trends in the next half an hour, while we should have a clear picture by 10am.

07:53 Upbeat on the eve of the election results, Congress leaders hailed Gandhi's Gujarat campaign as a "winner", saying his issue-based strategy would bring positive results for the party.

07:45 Patidar leader Hardik Patel is currently at Somnath temple, seeking divine intervention just before counting begins.

07:40 Even though all the exit polls have indicated a win for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been in power in the state since 1995, the final declaration of Narendra Modi's win in his own home turf will hold more significance.

Modi's performance in these elections is likely to reflect the sentiments of people towards the state's growth model as well as Modi government's work and reforms at the Centre. Most importantly, it would map people's reactions regarding two major reforms — GST and demonetisation — that affected every citizen, especially the businessmen community.

07:30 What do these results hold in store for the markets? With the exit polls for the Gujarat elections predicting a comfortable victory for the BJP with a single-party majority, the market will only be excited if the results are better than expected. Here are 4 stocks to buy on declines.

07:20 All the exit polls predict a clear BJP majority in both Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.  In Himachal Pradesh, the BJP is expected to wrest power from the Congress with a massive majority. In Gujarat, the BJP is projected to win around 110 seats on average, just short of the 115 seats out of 182 it won in 2012.

07:05 Last night, the Election Commission withdrew the notice to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his TV interviews hours before the second phase of voting in Gujarat on December 14, and said it will revisit a provision in the election law under which it was issued.

The watchdog had on December 13 issued the show cause notice to Rahul Gandhi for "prima facie" violating the provisions under the election law and the model code by giving interviews to TV channels.

07:00 With all the drama going on around the Gujarat assembly elections, it isn’t immediately apparent if there has been any shift of power in the state. The words exchanged by members of both parties, the contrarian views expressed by members within the party, and the exit polls themselves have combined to form a very opaque smokescreen.

Whether Modi’s son-of-the-soil persona was good enough to woo voters even with him not being around in Gujarat any more, or whether Rahul Gandhi has managed to successfully exploit this gaping hole in the BJP’s leadership in the state, will only be made clear today, when the counting of the votes takes place.

06:45 The Congress, on the other hand, has been very vehement in its refutation of the exit poll results. Party leader Shaktisinh Gohil on Friday pointed out that there have been many instances of exit polls being disproven and said that it will happen again on Monday.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Shukla also shared his two bits on the exit poll results, saying the actual results will be the complete opposite of what the exit polls are saying.

06:35 On its part, BJP spokesmen tried to put out the fire from within by saying everything will be clear once the election results are out. Anil Shirole, a BJP MP from Pune, said it had not been made clear whether Sanjay Kakade was a primary member of the party.

06:30 Sanjay Kakade, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha, who was elected as an independent candidate but later joined the BJP, on Saturday said the party will not win enough seats in Gujarat to form a government.

“According to a survey by my team, BJP will not get majority in Gujarat… This is based on a survey among voters in both rural and urban areas," Kakade told a TV channel in Pune. He added that the elections were not “fought on a plank of development… emotional issues occupied the prime slot.”

06:15 The roller-coaster ride that was the Gujarat election is finally drawing to a close, but as we head towards the home stretch one can’t help but wonder if there is one last unexpected twist yet to come.

The exit poll results suggest that it will be a smooth finish for the BJP, which is expected to end up with anywhere between 106 and 135 seats in state assembly, depending on which exit poll you look at.

But if there is anything that our political history has taught us, the outcome of an election is certainly not a foregone conclusion and could surprise you at the eleventh hour. And what is telling is that even some of the BJP allies seem to think so.

06:00 Welcome to the live coverage of the Gujarat assembly elections. We will bring you updates from the state on a real-time basis and keep you abreast of the vote count as it proceeds.

Exit polls have suggested that the BJP is likely to walk away with anything between 106 and 135 seats but the Congress is confident that they are way off the mark.

The counting of votes is scheduled to begin at 8:00 AM. Stay tuned.