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New Delhi: Exit polls have given a clear advantage for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Gujarat Assembly elections 2017.

Most exit polls on Thursday have predicted more than 100 seats for the BJP in Gujarat.

The majority mark in the 182-seat Assembly is 92 seats.

On the other hand, the saffron party is likely to come back to power in Himachal Pradesh from the Congress. 

The Gujarat contest is being seen as a prestige battle for PM Modi in his home state, where a reinvigorated Congress has sewed up a broad social coalition with prominent Patidar, OBC and Dalit leaders in its bid to unseat the BJP in power for over two decades.

In its bid to form a caste bloc against the BJP, the Congress has won over Hardik Patel, Thakor and Mevani, who have emerged as the young Turks representing the Patidars, OBCs and Dalits respectively.

Exuding confidence, Rahul Gandhi on the concluding day of the campaign on Tuesday told reporters that there was "tremendous undercurrent" against the ruling BJP in Gujarat. He had also predicted a 'zabardast' victory for his party.

The first phase of voting for the 182-member Assembly was held on December 9 and covered 89 seats. The counting of votes will be on December 18. 

In the 2012 Gujarat Assembly polls, the BJP had won 115 seats, while the Congress had bagged 61.