India begins world's biggest election

The election will be a contest between Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a coalition of two dozen opposition parties. It is the world’s largest election, with nearly a billion voters taking part and taking place over seven days across the world’s most populous country.

Indian Prime Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narendra Modi is expected to be re-elected. Photo: AFP

On Friday, in the biggest of seven phases, 166 million voters in 102 constituencies across 21 states and territories will cast their ballots.

Polls suggest the BJP will easily win a majority. “In the next five years, we will take our country among the top three economies of the world, launch a final and decisive attack against poverty, open up newer avenues of growth…”, Mr. Modi wrote in the BJP’s election manifesto.

If he wins, Mr Modi will be only the second prime minister of India to be elected three times in a row, after post-independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru. Mr Modi has said his first two terms were the appetizer and the main course would be served in his third term.

Chandrachur Singh, who teaches politics at Hindu University in Delhi, said the BJP had a clear advantage but also faced real challenges. “This is not a problem-free election,” he said.

Voters will vote for 543 seats in India's lower house of parliament, with two more nominated by the president. The majority party will form the new government and appoint one of its candidates as prime minister.

Bui Huy (according to CNN, Reuters, AFP)

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