By IANS
Ahmedabad : The process to elect Gujarat’s next assembly will get underway Thursday with the notification for the 87 constituencies from Saurashtra and some tribal-dominated areas going to polls in the first phase Dec 11.
The second phase of polling on Dec 16 will cover the remaining 95 constituencies.
While a number of other parties have announced plans to contest the elections, the battle will be mainly between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress.
Chief Minister Narendra Modi had led the BJP to victory with 127 seats in the December 2002 polls and is looking to win yet another term.
The Congress, which has been out of power since 1995 and managed to win only 52 seats last time, is confident that the electorate will vote it back to power by rejecting the BJP.
The Congress is also expected to announce its first list of candidates Thursday. The BJP, according to party sources, will announce its list on Nov 20.
While the Congress has chosen the slogan “Chak De! Gujarat”, inspired by the popular Hindu film “Chak De! India”, it has not projected any leader as chief ministerial candidate.
The BJP is banking on Modi to deliver a win though he faces rebellion from a section of the party’s legislators and functionaries.
The Congress has already launched the election campaign from Anand district where party president Sonia Gandhi addressed a women’s rally earlier this month.
The two parties are yet to come out with their election manifestoes.
After the two-phase poll, the votes will be counted Dec 23.