The initial stage of voting has commenced in India’s general elections which, if victorious, would see Prime Minister Narendra Modi obtaining an unparalleled third term of five years. This ambition relies heavily upon his distinctive charm and a platform advocating for the reinforcement of Hindu nationalism.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a party known for its endorsement of Hindu nationalism, faces an opposition alliance consisting of an array of 26 political parties. This alliance, characterised by a mixture of unlikely fiscal pledges and debatable caste-driven job strategies, is led by the Congress Party. This group asserts that their electoral battle is a bid to prevent India’s constitution and secular democracy from being engulfed by the BJP and its influential precursor and mentor, the Hindu revivalist group known as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), or National Volunteer Corps in English.
On Friday, voters started lining up at polling stations from 7am local time to choose 102 out of 543 lower house MPs. These MPs represent a vast expanse of 21 states and federal territories being contended by 1,625 candidates. The Election Commission of India (ECI) communicated to the Press Trust of India that an estimated 60% of the eligible voting demographic of 166 million people had cast their votes at roughly 187,000 polling stations by 5pm. These stations are supervised by nearly 1.8 million staff members and have stringent security procedures in place.
There was one minor violent incident reported in northeastern Manipur state, an area that shares a border with Myanmar and has been afflicted with ethnically driven conflict since the previous May. An entourage of armed individuals fired numerous shots in the vicinity of a Moirang assembly segment polling station resulting in no reported injuries. Although, a video circulating on social media depicted voters hastily evacuating the site amidst the gunfire.
Despite growing anxieties regarding escalating unemployment rates, the increasing cost of living, farmers’ demonstrations and intensifying pollution, the BJP is still anticipated to achieve an assured victory. Polls suggest that the party could even surpass their 2019 achievement of securing 303 MP seats. Modi’s electoral promises, should he be elected, encapsulate an array of welfare initiatives. These propositions include the provision of free grain and are thought to predominantly attract voters on the basis of Modi’s personal reputation. Political commentators have highlighted this tactic as a central aspect of the BJP’s campaign strategy.
In a column for the Hindustan Times, public affairs analyst Rajdeep Sardesai expressed that throughout his past ten-year term in office, Mr. Modi has successfully constructed a convincing story, painting himself as the only leader equipped to guarantee India’s bright future as a flourishing nation and a worldwide economic powerhouse. India, the globe’s largest democracy, with its 968 million voters and 545 parliamentary seats, is about to kick off its substantial voting exercise. The forthcoming election round for 89 seats in Parliament is scheduled for the following week. Voting will conclude on the first day of June, with outcomes expected after three days.