Supporters of incumbent Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi began celebrations in different parts of the country on Thursday, as reports trickled in of the Bharatiya Janata Party maintaining a decisive lead during counting.
Modi looks set to win a third consecutive term as the chief minister of Gujarat on Thursday.
According to Election Commission website the BJP has won 77 seats and leading at other 39 seats till 3 p.m. while the main rival, Congress Party is likely to win about 60 out of total 182 assembly seats in the state.
Party workers lit firecrackers and danced at the BJP office in Ahmedabad. BJP spokesperson Asifa Khan said that the people had voted in favour of 'true' development.
"This is the hard work of Mr. Narendra Modi, and we are thankful to the people of Gujarat for voting in the name of true development. It is a victory of the people and of the government which took everybody on the path of development," Khan said.
Celebrations were also held at the BJP offices in New Delhi and Mumbai. In Mumbai, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya joined the revellers to try his hand at traditional two-sided drums.
A jubilant Somaiya said that the people of Gujarat had given a candidate for Prime Minister.
"This is not just a victory of the people of Gujarat or of Narendra Modi alone. The people have presented Modi to the country as their candidate for Prime Minister. We are celebrating this victory by singing, dancing and distributing sweets," he said.
The BJP had won 117 seats in 2007 assembly elections.
