Indians vote in penultimate phase of polls
Tens of millions of Indians voted yesterday in the penultimate round of a seven-phase general election, with the opposition seeking a united stand to deny Prime Minister Narendra Modi a second term.
Violence was reported in some areas of West Bengal and complaints about EVM malfunctioning poured in from several places of Delhi as voters came out in good numbers to exercise their franchise.
India’s almost seven-week election wraps up next Sunday with results due on May 23.
More than 100 million people across seven states are eligible to vote in the sixth phase of the 39-day-long poll, which Modi began on April 11 as front-runner after an escalation of tension with neighbouring Pakistan.
But diverse opposition parties have recently taken heart at what they see as signs Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may be losing ground and have begun negotiations over a post-election alliance even before polling ends on May 19.
Some voters in Delhi said they were backing Modi because they were won over by his tough stand on security.
“I have voted for Modi’s sound foreign policy and national security,” said a 36-year old first-time voter who declined to be identified.
Political analysts say that state-based and caste-driven parties could be decisive in determining the make-up of the next government, as a lack of new jobs and weak farm prices have hurt the BJP, reported Reuters.
“Regional parties will play a bigger role compared to the previous 5 years or even 15 years,” said K C Suri, a political science professor at the University of Hyderabad. “They will regain their importance in national politics.”
BJP CANDIDATE ATTACKED
In West Bengal, BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh was allegedly attacked twice by local people when the former IPS officer tried to visit polling stations in her Ghatal Lok Sabha constituency.
One of her security guards was injured in stone pelting in one of the two incidents of attack.
The state CEO has sought reports from the West Midnapore district magistrate about the incidents.
Ghosh suffered minor injuries when a group of women allegedly attacked her when she tried to take one BJP agent inside a polling booth at Keshpur area in the morning, officials said.
Following this, bombs were hurled and stones were pelted towards the former IPS officer’s convoy when she was going to visit another booth at Dogachia in Keshpur after receiving complaints of rigging there.
One of her security guards was injured and a vehicle was damaged in the stone pelting following which the security officers restored to lathicharge, the officials said.
EVM GLITCHES
Adarsh Gupta, a resident of Matia Mahal area in Delhi, claimed that at polling booth number 84, 85 and 86, electronic voting machines were initially not working in the morning.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti alleged that EVMs at booths number - 116,117 and 122 - were not functioning.
However, there was no immediate reaction from the chief electoral office. Mudit Agarwal, son of Congress’ Chandni Chowk candidate JP Agarwal, alleged malfunctioning of EVMs at some booths in Matila Mahal and Ballimaran Assembly segments.
According to a police official, they received information about an EVM not working at Begum Pur in Rohini but it was rectified, reported PTI.
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said voters were unable to find their votes at polling booths in his Najafgarh constituency.
COMMON MAN
The tussle for Delhi is front and centre, with all eyes on chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) -- or Common Man party -- was formed seven years ago on an anti-corruption platform.
It has since taken control of Delhi’s regional government and is fighting to add to its four seats in India’s lower house of parliament, reported AFP.
“More schools need to be built,” said Delhi voter Purvek Shah. “And my other big concern is air pollution in Delhi. We see that Delhi has one of the worst pollution levels.”
Kejriwal, a tax commissioner turned campaigner, has suffered more than most in India’s notoriously rough-and-tumble political bullring.
Since 2013 and his first term as Delhi chief minister, the 50-year-old has been the target of at least seven attacks, including when his car was set upon by a mob with iron rods.
In November his face was smeared with chilli powder inside the Delhi government building. Last week a man climbed onto the open top car Kejriwal was campaigning in and slapped him.
The internet has also been a key arena in the election, with all parties, particularly the BJP, devoting major resources to social media -- including through fake news, experts say.
Police in recent days detained a BJP activist after she posted a meme superimposing Mamata Banerjee’s head on a picture of Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra at the Met Gala in New York.
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