India began voting on Friday in the second phase of the world’s biggest election, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his rivals raise the pitch of the campaign by focusing on hot-button issues such as religious discrimination, affirmative action and taxes.
Almost one billion people are eligible to vote in the seven-phase general elections that began on April 19 and concludes on June 1, with votes set to be counted on June 4.
Modi is seeking a record-equalling third straight term on the back of his economic record, welfare measures, national pride, Hindu nationalism and personal popularity. Surveys suggest he will easily win a comfortable majority.
His challengers have formed an alliance of more than two dozen parties and are promising greater affirmative action, more handouts and an end to what they call Modi’s autocratic rule.
A total of 88 seats out of the 543 seats in the lower house of parliament went to the polls on Friday, with 160 million people eligible to vote. They were spread across 13 states and federal territories in the world’s most populous country.
More than half of the seats in Friday’s contests were in the southern states of Kerala and Karnataka and the northwestern state of Rajasthan.
Read more
India’s poll panel seeks responses to complaints against Modi, Rahul Gandhi
Indians vote in huge election dominated by jobs, Hindu pride and Modi
Senior Indian election official quits days ahead of vote date announcement
The campaign has become more heated since the first phase of voting on April 19 as Modi and the main opposition Congress party have faced off on communal issues with Modi accusing Congress of favouring minority Muslims, aiming to dilute affirmative action and planning to impose an inheritance tax.
Congress has denied the charges and said Modi fears losing and was using divisive language to distract voters from real issues such as unemployment, the price rise and rural distress.
But some voters were responding to the BJP.
“I will vote for BJP. Muslims will get a lot of benefits if Congress comes to power and I don’t want taxpayers’ money to go for the benefit of any one community,” said Shree Hari S.S., 23, who voted in the tech hub of Bengaluru.
