A huge crowd of supporters and onlookers gathered around the Navchetan Primary School in Ahmedabad's Ranip area where Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote on Sunday morning.
Coverage: Gujarat Votes, 2007
People started trickling in at this polling station from morning. Some cast their vote and waited to catch a glimpse of the chief minister. But first to come was state Home Minister Amit Shah.
As the number of people waiting for Modi swelled, people began occupying rooftops and some scaled compound walls of nearby buildings. Modi arrived at 0950 hours at the polling station. The crowd jostled to get a closer look at the chief minister, giving the security personnel some anxious moments.
Modi caste his vote and came out of the polling booth to chants of Gujarat ka Sher aaya (Gujarat's tiger has come) and Modi Jeetega (Modi will win). Obliging photographers before he left the place, Modi said the Bharatiya Janata Party will romp to a historical win.
The fate of 599 candidates, including several state heavyweights and Union ministers, will be decided during the second phase of polling for 95 seats in the 182-seat assembly.
On December 11, 87 constituencies voted in the first phase. Counting will be on December 23.
Also Read: BJP on a downswing in Gujarat
Analysis: The undercurrent favours Modi