In Gujarat assembly poll, trends are available in 143 assembly seats out of 182. BJP is leading in 92, Congress – 47, NCP – one, Gujarat Parivarthan Party in two.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi of BJP is leading over his nearest Congress rival Shweta Sanjeev Bhatt in Maninagar constituency.

Gujarat Parivarthan Party President Keshubhai Patel is leading in Ellisbridge constituency over his nearest BJP rival Jagruti Pandya, the widow of late Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya.

In Porbandar, the Pradesh Congress President, Arjunbhai Modhvadia was trailing by about 1000 votes when reports last came in.

In Rajkot West, State Finance Minister and BJP candidate, Vajubhai Vala is leading over his nearest Congress rival.

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In Himachal Pradesh, three TV channels showed BJP ahead in 12 constituencies and Congress in six. One of the channels showed BJP ahead in 14 and Congress six.

Himachal has a 68-member Assembly in which BJP had won 43 seats in the 2003 elections against Congress’ 16.

In Gujarat, where 71.32 per cent voters cast their ballot, the counting will be held for all the 182 Assembly constituencies in the state, culminating the much-watched poll exercise which started on October four with the Election Commission announcing the poll schedule.

Polling was held in two phases on December 13 and 17, and the counting will begin at 8 AM at 33 places in the state where 44,579 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been kept in strong rooms under heavy security.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term in office and pollsters have predicted a landslide for BJP. A big win will viably consolidate Modi’s position in his party.

The assembly elections were virtually a three-way fight with rebel BJP leader Keshubhai Patel, a former Chief Minister, launching his political outfit Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) months ahead of the polls and main Opposition Congress running a sustained and aggressive campaign against Modi. Congress had lost power in the key western state in 1990.

Apart from the three main contenders, 33 other parties are also trying their luck at the hustings.

Himachal had seen a record turnout of 74.7 percent. Exit and opinion polls on television channels have projected Congress as having an edge in BJP-ruled state.

Chauhan said the gap between polling and counting has caused an additional expenditure of Rs 4 crore on security of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

The total expenditure on polls was likely to be around Rs 10 crore, he said.