Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], May 7 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday asserted that despite the scorching heat, the voting trends are very "encouraging" and appealed to the voters to come out in large numbers and vote for a "stable government."
Speaking to reporters, Amit Shah appealed to all the voters across the country and also to the voters of Gujarat to come forward and participate in this festival of democracy
"Today is the voting for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections. I would like to make a heartfelt appeal to all the voters across the country and also to the voters of Gujarat to come forward and participate in this festival of democracy and elect a stable government that provides a safe, prosperous country. Elect a government which is against corruption, wants to eradicate poverty, wants to make a self-reliant India, wants to make a developed India and wants to take India number one in every field in the whole world," Amit Shah said.
Shah further said that the voting trends in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections are very encouraging.
"Despite the scorching heat, the voting trends are very encouraging. As far as Gujarat is concerned, about 20 per cent of voting has been completed by the voters of Gujarat in just 2.5 hours. I have full confidence that the voters will elect a government that will provide stability, security, and prosperity and will make India free from poverty. Today, on the occasion of this festival of democracy, I convey my best wishes to all the countrymen and appeal to them to participate in this festival of democracy," he added.
Earlier, Amit Shah, along with his wife Sonal Shah, also offered prayers at the Kameshwar Mahadev temple in Ahmedabad.

Shah also showed the victory sign after casting his vote.

Amit Shah cast his vote in Ahmedabad, Gujarat for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. He was accompanied by his wife, his son and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah at the polling booth at the Sub-Zonal office near Kameshwar Mahadev Temple, Naranpura area.
Earlier this morning, Amit Shah urged voters to step out and vote for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections and asked voters to elect a government that has experience in "public welfare" and a "blueprint" for a developed India.
"In the third phase of the Lok Sabha Election, I appeal to all the voters who are going to cast their votes today to accept voting as a duty towards contributing to nation-building. Once again, vote for a corruption-free, caste-free, and dynasticism-free system. Elect a government that has experience in public welfare and a blueprint for a developed India," Amit Shah posted on X.
"Your vote will lay the foundation of good fortune for not only you but also for the entire nation for decades to come," he said.
Shah is the party's candidate for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. Congress has fielded its party secretary, Sonal Patel, from Gandhinagar.
Shah is seeking his second term from the seat of Gandhinagar. The seat is considered one of the prestigious bastions of the party, it has been represented by veterans like LK Advani.
Polling is on for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election today at 7:00 am.
The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed.
In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray.
A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.