Gujarat vote rivals see victory

Polling materials are being kept under guard

Both main contenders in key assembly elections in India's western Gujarat state are confident of victory when results are known on Sunday.

We are mentally prepared to form a government and we will do that

BJP Gujarat president Rajendrasinh Rana

The opposition Congress is talking up its chances of winning a number of seats currently held by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Meanwhile, the BJP, which some exit polls show in the lead, says it is preparing to return to power.

We are confident of a two-third majority in this election

Congress leader Shankarsingh Vaghela

Thursday's vote is being seen as a test of both the BJP's electability and the Gujarat authorities' policies after religious riots swept the state earlier this year.

Massive security helped ensure the polls passed off without major incident.

The two-day delay before votes are counted is standard, and allows electoral officials to hear complaints and allegations of irregularities.

Reduced majority

A near record 63% of Gujarat's 33 million voters took part in the ballot, the Election Commission said.

Mr Vaghela says disillusioned voters will turn to Congress

One exit poll by the Zee TV channel predicted a reduced majority for the BJP, leaving it with only 101 seats out of the 182-seat assembly.

Another poll by Aaj Tak television gave the BJP a more slender lead.

The Congress leader in the state, Shankarsingh Vaghela, believes his party will have swept the polls in northern and central regions, as well as in the north-west, seen as BJP heartland.

He says he is confident that disillusioned middle-class votes will bring a two-thirds majority for Congress.

Meanwhile, the BJP's Gujarat president, Rajendrasinh Rana, said he was not reading too much into the exit polls.

But he added: "We have been saying for two and half months that we would be victorious and we are mentally prepared to form a government and we will do that."

Non-violence

More than 1,000 people, mainly Muslims, lost their lives in the riots earlier in the year.

	Gujarat votes: 33 million voters 1,000 candidates 37,000 polling stations 181 seats (polling postponed in 1 seat) Results on Sunday 15 December Gujarat election - Q&A

There was no violence on Thursday, but several small protests arose following complaints that people had been left off the electoral register.

The vote itself was a straight race between the BJP and Congress.

BBC correspondent Adam Mynott said the right-wing Hindu nationalist current Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, sought to capitalise on the state's legacy of violence.

That meant that many other concerns such as water, poverty and employment were overlooked in the campaign.

Analysts say the election could come down to which side managed to bring its core vote out.

Much hinges on the result, as a general election is due by 2004.