Two die ahead of Gujarat result

Votes already cast are under heavy guard

Two people have died in clashes in India's Gujarat state following Thursday's assembly elections, police say.

A group of Congress Party workers attacked a member of the rival Hindu nationalist BJP near the commercial capital, Ahmedabad, the local police superintendant told the BBC.

I will not claim any figure... but we are poised for a victory

BJP Gujarat leader Narendra Modi

The BJP supporter, and a young relative, died.

Meanwhile, fresh votes are being held at 15 polling stations in the state because of faulty electoral equipment and irregularities.

Results are due on Sunday.

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

Congress leader Shankarsingh Vaghela

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

More than 1,000 people, mainly Muslims, lost their lives.

A massive security presence which is now being scaled down helped ensure the polls passed off without major incident.

The Election Commission has revised downward an initial turnout figure of 63%, a near record, after assessing data from all parts of the state.

"The revised figure is 61.7%," state chief electoral officer Gurcharan Singh told the AFP news agency.

Exit polls

	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

Exit polls have shown the BJP returning to power, but with fewer seats.

"We are poised for a victory," Narendra Modi, the state's caretaker chief minister, told reporters on Saturday.

He would not be drawn on predicting a result.

Congress, too, has been talking up its chances.

Its leader in the state, Shankarsingh Vaghela, says he is confident that disillusioned middle-class votes will bring a two-thirds majority for Congress.

Non-violence

The two-day delay before votes are counted is standard.

It allows electoral officials to hear complaints and allegations of irregularities, and to decide whether fresh votes should be held.

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 agenda of Mr 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.