The 2017 Gujarat Legislative Assembly Election was held on 9 December 2017 and 14 December 2017 in the Indian state of Gujarat to elect the Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA). The votes were counted on 18 December. All 182 members of the 14th Gujarat Legislative Assembly were elected with the leader of the largest party or coalition expected to become the next chief minister.
The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party obtained a simple majority with an increase in the vote share. Despite suffering a decrease in the number of seats, the incumbent government retained a simple majority in the house. The Indian national Congress Had its Best result Since BJP came to power.The vote share and number of seats for Congress increased from the previous election in 2012. This was the highest number of seats won by the Congress in the last 32 years (after the 1985 election, in which Congress won 149 seats). The next election was held in December 2022.
Background Gujarat, like the other states of India, follows parliamentary system of government. The government is responsible for the Legislative Assembly and stays in power only if it has the support of a majority of its members. Elections take place on a first-past-the-post basis: the candidate with the most votes wins the seat regardless of an absolute majority. Every citizen of the state who is 18 and above is eligible to vote. The respective governors of the state then invite the leader of the largest party or coalition to form the government. The Constitution of India states that the term of Legislative Assemblies is five years. As is common in most other first-past-the-post electoral systems, the state's politics are dominated by two parties – the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The term of the prior Gujarat Legislative Assembly ended on 22 January 2018. The previous assembly election, held in 2012, resulted in BJP gaining a majority of seats and Narendra Modi becoming the chief minister. After the 2014 General Elections, Modi became the prime minister of the country and Anandiben Patel was appointed the chief minister of Gujarat. After the Patidar agitations, Dalit protests and claims of poor governance, she was replaced by Vijay Rupani as the chief minister by the party.
Electoral process changes
VVPAT-fitted EVMs were used in the entire Gujarat state at 50,128 polling stations in the 2017 elections, which was the first time that the entire state saw the implementation of VVPAT. VVPAT slips were counted in a polling station in each of Gujarat's 182 constituencies. There were 43.3 million registered voters in Gujarat as of 25 September 2017. Group of voters Voters population Male 2,25,57,032 Female 2,07,57,032 Third gender 169 Total voters 4,33,14,233Polling booths50,128Voters per booth864
Demographics
Other Backward Castes, excluding Muslim OBCs, comprised 48% of the total population of Gujarat. 147 communities were considered to be OBCs at the time of the election. Scheduled tribes (primarily Adivasis) comprised 15.5% of the population, while scheduled castes (Dalits) totalled 7%. Muslims of various castes constituted 9.7% of the population. Forward castes and others made up the remainder. Castes of Gujarat Caste Population (%) Notes OBC 48% Koli + Thakor - 44%, other OBCs (like Ahir, Bharwad etc.) - 56% Adivasis (STs) 14.75% Bhil - 46%, Halpati - 8%, Dhodia - 7.9%, Rathwa - 7.2%, Naikda - 5.3%, Gamit - 4.7%, Kokna - 4.4%, Chaudhri - 3.8%, Warli - 3.4%, Dhanka - 3.4%, Pateliya - 1.5%, Koli (tribal) - 1.3% Patidar11% 80% - Leuva and Kadva, others (Anjana and Matiya) have OBC status - 20% Kshatriyas 5% Muslims 9% includes Muslim OBCs Dalits (SCs) 7% Others 5.25%includes Brahmins, Lohana, Bania (caste), Christians, Parsis, Jains, etc.
Campaigns Bhartiya Janata Party Jaitley said continuous growth, unity and concern for every section are main ingredients of BJP manifesto. He said social polarization path attempted by Congress will harm the State like what happened in the decade of 1980s.Jaitley said Congress had mentioned some programmes that are already implemented by BJP government. The government is already giving minimum support price for ground nut, delivering crop insurance, assistance for check dam and drip irrigation, loan under Mudra schemes
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed 34 public rallies in his home state.
Manifesto Source:
Agri Proposals: Continue with the current policies for improving farm income To continue with Cooperative milk societies and animal welfare Effective implementation of law against cow slaughter
Youth Proposals: To open up more industrial cluster to increase Employment To encourage start-ups through skill development and Economic support Labour & remuneration policies to reflect current needs Along with govt policies to have results oriented employment policies To establish Gujarat Olympic Mission To create modern sports facilities and provide economic support for sports persons To encourage traditional sports
For Women: To set up a fund for women empowerment schemes Free higher education for women Healthcare facilities for women New women oriented policies To increase widow pension from time to time
Education Policy: To expand policies for welfare of girl child and schooling To expand foundational education To include new technological innovations in educations More importance to vocational education To better implement fee control in Private schools To create world class universities in the state
Healthcare: To provide better facilities for treatment of grave illnesses in district hospitals To increase availability of generic and affordable medicines To set up mobile clinics and 252 government diagnostic laboratories To free Gujarat of vector-borne diseases by 2022
Village Development: Cement houses for poor families All houses to have plumbing and toilet facilities To bring in waste disposal units Better transportation and connectivity for rural areas
Urban Development: Timely implementation of smart city projects Effective and smart traffic management systems Surat and Vadodhara to have metro train services Pipe gas connections in all houses AC- Bus services in major cities Playground facilities for children in all sectors Multi-level parking facilities Control on unlawful occupation of land
Industrial Policies: Policy based industrial growth Encouragement to Employment oriented industries Regulated policy for industries New policy for Semi-conductor and Telecommunications industries Government to collaborate with GIDC for global competitive industrial policies Better interest rates for SME lending To create help centres for entrepreneurs To ease licensing policy for Small traders via online Accounting services to be provided at affordable rates Considerable improvement in policies for co-operative societies Revival of closed co-operative units
Tribal Welfare: Effective implementation of tribal protection laws To create Tribal Development Board at district level To create registered Tribal committees To provide irrigation facilities in 4 lakh hectares of land in North-east tribal areas Special policies for Agariya communities Better implementation of PESA Act To provide land owner ship for all Tribals To set-up International levels tribal universities
OBC Welfare: To provide economic support for those in generational family businesses To double the grant for Thakore and Koli development corporation Expansion of Self-employment schemes
SC and ST Welfare: To create a committee for their betterment Easing of processes for obtaining caste certificate and BPL card Cement houses for everybody Better opportunity for education, healthcare and employment Creation of hawking zones for hawkers
Dalit Welfare: Effective protection of Dalits Economic support through Dr BhimRao Ambedkar Education fund Increase in schools Financial support for Dalit workers
Poor Labourers and Workers: 100% coverage under Suraksha Bhima Yojana Cement Houses for all Affordable healthcare Affordable food policies to be expanded in cities
Financially Backward Communities: To fund secondary and high education of students Financial security through Jan Dhan and PM Suraksha Bima Yojana New policies for holistic development of poor Better opportunities for employment
Ports: Develop ports and better marine traffic routes To expand RORO ferry services To provide financial support to communities dependent on sea To give financial support for Modern equipment To create Marine product laboratory for improvement of manufacturing
Transparent and Better Governance: Administrative public outreach programme Karm-yogi Abhiyaan for Government employees Online services for registration and tax payment Forceful implementation of Anti-liquor policies
Tourism: To create Sardar Patel Statue at Karmsad New tourism circuits To create yoga and medication centre in Saurashtra in association with Somnath University To promote Handicraft festivals To create memorials for great Gujarati personalities Better facilities for Pilgrims
Cultural Policies: To promote language, literature and dance forms To promote ras-garba and traditional art forms To encourage music along with literature and language To create and expand Art festivals To reserve position in Girnar authority Board for saints To support for religious festivals like Maha Shivratri & Lili Parikarma
Senior Citizens: Timely increase in old-age pension To provide government services at home Expand the Shravan tirth policy
For NRI Gujarati: Gujarat tour services for NRIs To immediately resolve issues of NRIs To promote Gujarati cultural activities outside India
Indian National Congress
Manifesto Source:
Woman and Healthcare: Housing for women of all communities Free education for girls from primary to higher education Loans for women to start small businesses Universal healthcare card
Farmers: Loan waiver Free water 16-hour daytime power Effective crop insurance
Rural and Housing: Each village to have sanitation and drinking water 25 Lakh houses in 5 years in urban and rural areas
Business, Law & Order: Ending of Gundaraj in Gujarat Establishing fast-track courts for serious crimes HC bench in Surat, Rajkot
cost of living and inflation: Petrol, diesel cheaper by Rs 10 50% reduction in property tax for small shopkeepers Up to 50% reduction in electricity rates
For youth & students: Unemployment allowance of up to Rs 4,000 to youth Rs 32,000 cr fund for employment to 25 lakh youth Withdrawal of contractual outsourcing and filling of government vacancies Scholarship for poor and middle-class families Conversion of all self-financed courses into govt-aid courses to reduce fee burden Free laptops and phones to college students
Polls Opinion polls
Polling firm/Commissioner Date published BJP INC Others ABP News (Lokniti CSDS) 31 August 2017 59% 29% 12%India-Today (Axis)24 October 201748%38%14%Times Now (VMR)25 October 201752%37%11%ABP News (Lokniti CSDS)9 November 201747%41%12%ABP News (Lokniti CSDS)4 December 201743%43%14%Times Now (VMR)6 December 201745%40%15%
Exit polls Exit polls were released on the evening of 14 December. Polling firm/Commissioner BJP INC Others ABP News (Lokniti CSDS) 49% 41% 9% TV9 CVoter 52% 39% 9.3% Axis-India Today 47% 42% 11% VMR-Times Now 48% 41% 11% Republic-JanKiBaat – – – VDP Associates 48% 40% 12% CNX Samay 48% 39% 13% Today's Chanakya 49% 38% 13% Nirmana TV (Gujarati) – – –CVoter 47.4%43.3%9.3%Poll of polls (Average)117641Actual results99803
Results The votes were counted on 18 December 2017. Over 1.9% of all voters in the election specified the None of the Above (NOTA) option, which amounted to more than 500,000 votes.