NEW DELHI: Millions of Indian citizens commenced voting on Friday in the first phase of the six-week-long general elections poised to serve as a referendum on the leadership of Narendra Modi, who seeks a third term as Prime Minister.
Voters lined up at polling stations hours before they officially opened at 7 a.m. across the first 21 states holding votes, spanning from the Himalayan mountains to the tropical Andaman Islands. With nearly 970 million voters—constituting over 10% of the world’s population—set to cast their ballots, the electorate will elect 543 members to the lower house of Parliament for a five-year term during the staggered elections, scheduled until June 1. The tabulation of votes will occur on June 4.
This election is widely regarded as one of the most significant in India’s history and will serve as a litmus test for Modi’s political dominance. If Modi secures victory, he will become only the second Indian leader to hold power for a third consecutive term, following in the footsteps of Jawaharlal Nehru, the nation’s inaugural prime minister.
The majority of polls indicate a favorable outcome for Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which faces off against a broad opposition coalition spearheaded by the Indian National Congress and influential regional parties. However, it remains uncertain who will assume leadership if the opposition alliance, named INDIA, emerges victorious, as its coalition of over 20 parties has yet to nominate a candidate.
While the BJP currently commands significant support in India’s Hindi-speaking northern and central regions, it aims to expand its influence in the eastern and southern territories. The party faces its most formidable challenge in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, which boasts 39 parliamentary seats and is conducting voting on Friday.
