Gujarat is all set to go the first phase of assembly elections Thursday. This election is important,  for Chief Minister Narendra Modi, for a win this time will not only give him the third straight victory but also strengthen his claim as a potential prime ministerial candidate in the next general elections, due in less than two years time. The Congress, on the other hand, has been trying hard to dethrone Modi but will face an uphill task to succeed. A third force, the Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP), led by former BJP leader and anti-Modi voice Keshubhai Patel, can make some dent in the BJP’s vote share, particularly in the Saurashtra region. A total of 87 constituencies will go to the elections on Thursday.