Indians wait to cast their votes in Uttar Pradesh. Photo: AP
India election: a death, a bomb and voting machine malfunctions mar first day of polls
- Country begins mammoth election process in which up to 900 million people are eligible to cast a ballot
- At least one politician has been killed in a dispute over a state assembly vote, while Maoist rebels have been blamed for a bomb near a polling booth
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Asia elections
Indians wait to cast their votes in Uttar Pradesh. Photo: AP
A shop assistant sells kites bearing images of the Indian political rivals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Bangalore. Photo: AFP
As India’s mega election begins, caste-based parties threaten to upset Modi’s apple cart
- Over 39 days, some 900 million voters will decide if they want Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party to remain in power
- While much of the spotlight has been cast on Modi, the lack of a national election narrative has allowed state parties to boost their numbers by forming alliances across caste lines
Topic |
Asia elections
A shop assistant sells kites bearing images of the Indian political rivals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Bangalore. Photo: AFP