Gujarat bypoll: 22 per cent voting in first 5 hours in Rajkot

RAJKOT: Polling is underway today for Rajkot (West) Assembly seat by-election where 22 per cent voter turnout was registered during the first five hours, officials said.

"In Rajkot (West) Assembly seat by-polls, 22 per cent voters turnout has been recorded during the first five hours," Returning Officer in Rajkot (West) seat, B R Chaudhary said.

The Assembly seat fell vacant as sitting MLA Vaju Vala resigned after he was appointed as the Karnataka Governor. The constituency is BJP's pocket borough since 1990. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too for the first time had contested state assembly election from the Rajkot (West) seat in 2001. Vala had then vacated the seat for Modi to contest the election.

Vala today, caste his vote at the polling booth in Harihar society community hall here, while BJP candidate Vijay Rupani exercised his franchise at the Gyan Ganga Primary School in Jivannagar area.

Congress candidate Jayanti Kalariya exercised his franchise in Mahatma Gandhi school in Panchvati Society in the city. The counting for the votes would be held on October 19.