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2002 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election

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182 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Gujarat 92 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	61.54% (2.24%)
First party Second party   Leader Narendra Modi Shankersinh Vaghela Party BJP INC Leader since 2001 Leader's seat Maninagar Did not contest Last election 117 53 Seats after 127 51 Seat change 10 2 Percentage 49.85% 39.28% Swing 5.04% 4.43%
Chief Minister before election Narendra Modi BJP Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi BJP

The 2002 Gujarat Legislative Assembly elections were held in December 2002; they necessitated by the resignation of Chief Minister Narendra Modi and the dissolution of the legislative assembly in July 2002, 8 months before its term was due to expire. Modi resigned due to widespread allegations that he had taken insufficient action to prevent the riots that took place a few months earlier. The Bharatiya Janata Party was led by Modi, with the Indian National Congress being the chief opposition.

As a result of those communal riots, a major issue in the election was the place of Muslims in Gujarati society. Seeking to capitalize on the sentiments stirred up by the riots caused by burning of a train coach containing Hindu kar sevaks (including children) coming from Ayodhya.

The legislative assembly of Gujarat is elected from 182 constituencies, which were contested by a total of 21 parties and several hundred independent candidates. The Bharatiya Janata Party won 127 seats, thus achieving an absolute majority in the assembly. Modi was sworn in for a second term as chief minister.

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Bharatiya Janata Party	10,194,353	49.85	127	10
	Indian National Congress	8,033,104	39.28	51	2
	Janata Dal (United)	175,024	0.86	2	New
	Others	876,500	4.29	0	0
	Independents	1,169,711	5.72	2	–1
Total		20,448,692	100.00	182	0
Valid votes		20,448,692	99.98
Invalid/blank votes		3,582	0.02
Total votes		20,452,274	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		33,238,196	61.53
Source: ECI

Elected members

The following candidates won election from their respective seats:

References

1. "Schedule for election to Gujarat Legislative Assembly". Press Information Bureau. 18 November 2002.
2. Brasted, Howard V (2005). Nelly Lahoud, A H Johns (ed.). Islam in World Politics. Routledge. p. 119. ISBN 978-0415324113. the successful anti-Muslim campaign run in Gujarat in December 2002 by its provincial chief minister Narendra Modi – a hardline Hindu nationalist preacher turned politician – has ominous implicitions.
3. Corbridge, Stuart; John Harriss; Craig Jeffrey (2012). India Today: Economy, Politics and Society. Polity Press. p. 185. ISBN 978-0745661124. December 2002, the BJP – led by Narendra Modi, who conducted a vicious campaign, making many stridently anti-Muslim statements
4. Hardgrave Jr., Robert L. (2005). "Hindu Nationalism and the BJP: Transforming Religion and Politics in India". In Dossani, Rafiq; Rowen, Henry S. (eds.). Prospects For Peace in South Asia. Stanford University Press. pp. 210–211. ISBN 9780804750851. In the campaign, Modi fused religion and politics and, as a spur to anti-Muslim sentiment, made Islamic terrorism and its ties to Pakistan a central plank in the BJP platform" etc
5. "Statistical Report on Generlal Election, 2002 to the Legislative Assembly of Gujarat". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
6. "Statistical Report On General Election, 2002 to the Legislative Assembly Of Gujarat" (PDF). New Delhi: Election Commission of India. p. 228. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 January 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2013.

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• State Assembly elections in Gujarat
• 2000s in Gujarat
• 2002 State Assembly elections in India