India election resumes as Modi ‘ramps up anti-Muslim rhetoric’ over opposition gains

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the opposition Congress party of pandering to minority Muslims for votes

The penultimate round of the election is happening amid blazing heat across India, with the temperature hitting 43 degrees Celsius in New Delhi

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Supporters hold cut-outs of India’s Prime Minister and leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Narendra Modi during an election campaign rally in Gurdaspur. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:51pm, 25 May 2024

Millions of Indians are voting Saturday in the next-to-last round of a gruelling national election with a combined opposition trying to rattle Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign for a third-consecutive term for himself and his Hindu nationalist party.

Many people lined polling stations before the start of voting at 7am to avoid the blazing sun later in the day at the peak of Indian summer. The temperature soared to 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 Fahrenheit) in the afternoon in the Indian capital.

Lakshmi Bansal, a housewife, said while the weather was hot, people usually went out to shop and even attended festivals in such heat.

“This [election] is also like a festival, so I don’t have a problem voting in the heat,” Bansal said.

Saturday’s voting in 58 constituencies, including seven in New Delhi, will complete polling for 89.5 per cent of 543 seats in the lower house of Parliament.

The voting for the remaining 57 seats on June 1 will wrap up a six-week election. The votes will be counted on June 4.