New Delhi : The first phase of polling for the Gujarat Assembly elections comprising 89 constituencies is underway. Around 2.12 crore voters of Gujarat will decide the fate of 977 candidates, including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, during today’s polling. Rupani is contesting from Rajkot (West) seat. Apart from him, other prominent candidates in the fray for today’s battle include Congress’ Shaktisinh Gohil (Mandvi) and Paresh Dhanani (Amreli).

On day one of polling in Gujarat, PM Narendra Modi urged voters to vote in large numbers.

The election campaign for the first phase of polling ended on Thursday evening. The war of words between the two main parties – BJP and Congress – often turned vituperative. The Congress suspended its senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar from party on Thursday for referring to Modi as a “neech kisma ka aadmi” (vile man), triggering a controversy just ahead of the elections.

21.09 per cent voting recorded till 12 pm