BJP leads in Gujarat, confident of retaining power

Gandhinagar: Gujarat`s ruling BJP on Monday vowed to retain power as vote count showed its candidates had forged far ahead of the Congress in the just ended Assembly elections.

"We are going to form a government in Gujarat. People have voted for us on development issues," Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shahnawaz Hussain told the media.

Election Commission officials indicated as millions of votes cast in the December 9 and 14 election were counted that BJP candidates were leading in 55 seats and those of the Congress in 37 constituencies.

Gujarat has 182 Assembly seats. The BJP has ruled the state since 1995.