India votes in second phase of national elections with Modi's BJP as front-runner

India votes in second phase of national elections with Modi’s BJP as front-runner

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Millions of Indians began voting on Friday in the second round of multi-phase national elections as Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to galvanize voters with his assertive brand of Hindu nationalist politics. The outcome of Friday’s voting will be crucial for Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, as the 88 constituencies up for grabs across 13 states include some of its strongholds in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. (AP video Piyush Nagpal/Shonal Ganguly)

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Millions of Indians began voting Friday in the second round of multi-phase national elections as polarization grows with Prime Minister Narendra Modi whipping up an assertive brand of Hindu nationalist politics in his campaign. The outcome of Friday’s voting across 88 constituencies in 13 states with 160 million voters will be crucial for Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party as it includes some of its strongholds in states like Uttar Pradesh. (AP video: Shonal Ganguly)

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A voter puts his hand on a classroom desk covered in marks as a polling officer applies indelible ink mark on his index finger at a polling station situated inside a school during the second round of voting in the national election, near Palakkad, in Indian southern state of Kerala, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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Elderly voters sit as others stand in a queue to vote during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election near Palakkad, in Indian southern state of Kerala, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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People queue up to vote behind a statue of the Hindu goddess of learning, Saraswati, during the second round of voting in the six-week long national election outside a polling booth in Kochi, southern Kerala state, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/R S Iyer)

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A policeman stands guard as people queue up to vote during the second round of voting in the six-week long national election outside a polling booth in Kochi, southern Kerala state, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/R S Iyer)

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Tangkhul Nagas stand in a queue to cast their votes in Shangshak village, in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur)

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People queue up to vote during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election near Palakkad, in Indian southern state of Kerala, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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A person drinks water to beat thirst and humidity as he queues up to vote during second phase of national election, near Palakkad, in southern state of Kerala, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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An elderly woman arrives at a polling station to cast her vote in Shangshak village, in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur)

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A voter shows her identity papers and signs her name in the polling register before casting her vote during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election near Palakkad, in Indian southern state of Kerala, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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People check for their names in the voters’ list as they arrive to vote during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Nahal village near Meerut, in Uttar Pradesh, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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A security person walks past queues of voters in a polling station on the bank of the Brahmaputra river during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Morigaon district, Assam, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

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An elderly couple arrive as others wait in a queue to cast their vote during the second phase of national election in Palakkad, Kerala, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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A police official instructs an elderly couple take rest sitting on a bench during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Morigaon district, Assam, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

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People walk to a polling station after crossing the Brahmaputra river in a boat during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Morigaon district, about 77km (48 miles) from Guwahati, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

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People queue up to vote during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Jammu, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

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A woman leaves after casting her vote at a polling booth during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Nahal village near Meerut, in Uttar Pradesh, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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A man squats to rest as he waits with others in a queue to vote during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election near Palakkad, in Indian southern state of Kerala, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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People vote during the second phase of national election in Palakkad, Kerala, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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A man displays his index finger marked with indelible ink a sign that he voted as he rides on a two wheeler after voting during second phase of national election, near Palakkad, southern state of Kerala,India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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An elderly man puts his thumb impression before casting his vote during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Sunanda village near Meerut, in Uttar Pradesh, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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People stand in a queue to vote during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Nahal village near Meerut, in Uttar Pradesh, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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Voters line up to vote in a polling station during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Morigaon district, Assam, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

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A woman shows the indelible ink mark on her finger after casting vote in a polling station on the bank of the Brahmaputra river during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Morigaon district, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

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Women stand on queue to cast their votes in a polling station on the bank of the Brahmaputra river during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Morigaon district, Assam, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

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Tangkhul Nagas wait to cast their votes during the second round of voting in the six-week long national election in Ukhrul, in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur)

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Women pose with their identity cards as they walk to cast their vote during the second phase of polling in the six-week long national election in the desert village Jaiisindhar, Barmer district, western Rajasthan state, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Deepak Sharma)

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Women queue up to cast their vote during the second phase of polling in the six-week long national election in Barmer district, western Rajasthan state, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Deepak Sharma)

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Women walk to cast their vote during the second phase of polling in the six-week long national election in the desert village Akli in western Rajasthan state, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Deepak Sharma)

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Women arrive to cast their vote during the second phase of polling in the six-week long national election in Barmer district, western Rajasthan state, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Deepak Sharma)

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Indian men gather outside a polling station after casting their votes during the second phase of polling in the six-week long national election in Barmer district, western Rajasthan state, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Deepak Sharma)

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A paramilitary soldier stands guard as people queue up to vote during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Jammu, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

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An elderly voter waits to cast his vote as an election official checks for his name in the voters list during the second round of voting in the six-week-long national election in Jammu, India, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

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Tangkhul Nagas rest outside a polling station in Ukhrul, in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur)

By ASHOK SHARMA

NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of Indians voted Friday in a moderate turnout in the second round of multi-phase national elections as Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to galvanize voters with his assertive brand of Hindu nationalist politics.

People lined up outside polling stations as voting opened at 7 a.m. local time and braved hot summer weather with temperatures soaring up to 42 degrees Celsius (107 Fahrenheit) in the afternoon.

The election authority said in a statement that approximately 60.96% of 160 million eligible voters exercised their right to cast a ballot in the second round.

The outcome of Friday’s voting will be crucial for Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, as the 88 constituencies up for grabs across 13 states include some of its strongholds in states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Most polls predict a win for Modi and the BJP, which is up against a broad opposition alliance led by the Indian National Congress and powerful regional parties.

Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi is running in Wayanad constituency in southern Kerala state for a second time, after he was defeated in 2019 elections by Smriti Irani, a BJP leader, in the northern Indian city of Amethi — a traditional stronghold for the Nehru-Gandhi family.

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Other prominent candidates in the second phase of voting include Shashi Tharoor of the Congress party, popular BJP Bollywood star Hema Malini and actor Arun Govil, who played the role of Hinduism’s revered Lord Ram in a 1987 television adaptation of the ancient epic Ramayana.

Prime Minister Modi urged people to vote in record numbers to strengthen democracy.

“I especially urge our young voters and women voters to turn out in great numbers. Your vote is your voice!” Modi said in a message on the social media platform X before voting began Friday.

The BJP has already won one parliamentary seat from Surat in Gujarat state, where the Congress party candidate was disqualified Monday. Election officials said they found discrepancies in the signatures on the nomination and other candidates pulled out of the contest, leaving BJP nominee Mukesh Dalal as the winner by default.

Nearly 970 million voters — more than 10% of the world’s population — will elect 543 members to the lower house of Parliament for five years during the staggered election, which runs until June 1. The votes will be counted on June 4. There are a total of 28 states in India.

The turnout in the first phase of polling on April 19 was estimated at around 62% of 166.3 million eligible voters.

By comparison, India’s 2019 national election registered the highest-ever voter turnout — 67.11% — in the history of Indian parliamentary elections. The turnout is expected to increase for five more rounds of voting.

Voters’ relative apathy has surprised some political analysts, but they say that the BJP remains a front-runner.

“You could argue that the listlessness is a consequence of a foregone conclusion,” said Pratap Bhanu Mehta, an Indian political scientist.

“But for Modi’s party which is expecting to win 400 of the 543 seats the joyous surge is missing,” he said in an article in the Indian Express daily.

However, Prime Minister Modi said “Phase Two (voting) has been too good!”

Critics of the prime minister, an avowed Hindu nationalist, say India’s tradition of diversity and secularism has come under attack since the BPJ won power a decade ago. They accuse the party of fostering religious intolerance and sometimes even violence. The party denies the accusation and says its policies benefit all Indians.

Modi stirred a huge controversy over the weekend when he said that the Congress party, if voted to power, would distribute the country’s wealth among “infiltrators” and “those who have more children,” in an apparent reference to the Muslim community.

Hindus make up 80% of India’s 1.4 billion people, while Muslims account for 14% and Christians and Sikhs 2% each.

The Congress party leaders met with election officials and urged them to investigate whether Modi’s comments violated the body’s code of conduct that bars politicians from appealing to voters based on caste and religious feelings.

The BJP also filed a complaint against Congress’s Gandhi, accusing the opposition leader of falsely asserting that poverty was increasing and driving a wedge between the North and South of India based on language and region to disrupt the electoral environment.

The election authority recognized the complaints on Thursday and asked the presidents of the two parties to file their responses by Monday. The authority is expected to give its ruling next week.