India votes in final elections phase: Modi, Rahul Gandhi eye victory
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India voted on Saturday in the final phase of a long-drawn general election.
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An elderly woman signs a paper after casting her vote at home, in New Delhi, India, on May 17, 2024. (AP)
On Saturday, India ended the final phase of a protracted general election. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his challengers expressed confidence in winning the polls, which largely focused on issues of inequality and religion.
The seven-phase vote, in which nearly a billion people were eligible to cast their ballots, began on April 19 and will end with polling in the last 57 seats - including in Modi's constituency in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi.
Over 100 million registered voters across eight states and federal territories, including Punjab in the north and Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha in the east, participated in Saturday's elections.
Calling upon the voters to turn out in large numbers and vote, Modi said as polls opened, "Together, let's make our democracy more vibrant and participative."
BJP anticipated to secure majority
Modi, heading the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is pursuing an unusual third consecutive term as prime minister. His party is in a fierce electoral contest against an opposition alliance comprising around two dozen parties led by the India National Congress.
The BJP is widely anticipated to secure a majority.
However, Modi and his party have encountered a vigorous campaign by the opposition alliance known as 'INDIA' (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), casting some uncertainty on the ease of Modi's anticipated victory.
Severe summer temperatures, marked by unusually intense heatwaves, have exacerbated voter fatigue in India, a predominantly Hindu nation with a population of 1.4 billion. In this climate, concerns over unemployment and inflation remain paramount for voters.
Authorities said that around two dozen election officials died of suspected heatstroke in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh ahead of the vote on Friday.
Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi have forecasted significant losses for each other and asserted that their respective alliances are poised to establish the next government.
Exit polls, anticipated after the conclusion of the vote, will indicate the performance of parties ahead of the results, scheduled for June 4. However, exit polls in India have a mixed track record and have often been inaccurate in the past.
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