Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], June 4 (ANI): As the mammoth exercise of counting of votes in Lok Sabha elections is about to begin, Gujarat's Sanand MLA Kanu Patel expressed confidence in Union Home Minister Amit Shah will win the seat with a huge margin.
Speaking with ANI, Kanu Patel said, "The counting is going on here... Union Home Minister Amit Shah is going to win from here with a huge margin. He has done a lot of work for this Lok Sabha constituency."
He added further, "We have set a very big target from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha and we are thinking of a lead of more than 10 lakhs. And we're winning by a huge lead."
Notably, the Union Home Minister entered the Lok Sabha in 2019 from Gandhinagar and is seeking his second straight term from the seat, which has been held by BJP veterans in the past. Shah, who earlier served as BJP President, is against Congress candidate Sonal Patel.
Prime Minister Modi's hometown, Gujarat, is preparing for the vote-counting day as security forces rehearse and perform drills for the effortless conduct of D-day.
Trends and results will begin from 8:00 am today.
Results of the Assembly elections in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh were held simultaneously with voting for the 543-member Lok Sabha. Results of 175 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and 147 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and results of by-polls in 25 Assembly constituencies will also be declared today.
Strict security has been put in place for the smooth conduct of counting of votes for over 8,000 candidates in this general elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will seek a third consecutive term in government, while the Congress-led opposition aims to unseat them.
Most exit polls have predicted a return of PM Modi to power, a development which will make him the first Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to secure a third successive term in power.
Meanwhile, a delegation of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders met with the Election Commission of India urging it to ensure that postal ballots are counted and their results declared before the outcome of the EVMs is announced.
Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had said that a "very robust system" has been put in place. "There are around 10.5 lakh booths. Each booth will have 14 tables. There are observers and micro-observers. Nearly, 70-80 lakh people are involved in the process," he said. (ANI)
