117 million voters will participate in the elections for 96 seats in 10 states and territories.
- 117 million voters will participate in the elections for 96 seats in 10 territories.
- Voting began on April 19 and ballots would be counted on June 4.
- Concerns about low turnout due to voter disinterest in the elections.
HYDERABAD/BHUBANESWAR: Millions of Indians are participating in the fourth phase of the country's elections that began on Monday as religious and economic divisions deepen due to increased rhetoric.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seek a rare third consecutive term, voting in the world's most populous nation began on April 19, while votes will be counted on June 4.
The BJP is forming an alliance of more than two dozen opposition parties, including its main rival, the Congress.
“I appeal to everyone to vote for a decisive government,” Amit Shah, Modi's close aide and the country's home minister, said as voting began.
Elections will be held on Monday for 96 seats in 10 states and territories, with 177 million people eligible to cast their vote. A large number of seats are in the southern and eastern states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, where the BJP is not as strong as in other parts of the country.
Turnout is being closely watched, as slightly lower numbers in the first three phases have raised concerns about voter disinterest in an election without a strong central issue.
The impact of warm weather on voting is also being seen, with highs in many parts of the country around 40°C or higher.
The lower turnout has raised doubts about whether the BJP and its allies can win with the overwhelming majority predicted by opinion polls.
Analysts say the lower turnout led Modi to change course of his campaign after the first phase, shifting focus from his economic record to accusing Congress of planning to extend social benefits to Muslim minorities at the expense of tribal groups. disadvantaged and caste Hindus.
The Congress has denied making any such promise and said Modi is baffled by the turnout, which the BJP denies.
About 80% of India's 1.4 billion people are Hindu, but it also has the third-largest Muslim population in the world, with about 200 million people. Polls suggest voters are more concerned about unemployment and rising prices.
Led by Rahul Gandhi, Congress is advocating for better representation and welfare programs for India's poor and disadvantaged groups, claiming that wealth inequality has worsened during Modi's 10-year rule, a charge rejected by the government.
INDIA's Congress-led opposition alliance received a boost ahead of Monday's vote when the Supreme Court granted temporary bail to Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of the national capital territory of Delhi and a key opposition leader, allowing him to make Campaign.
Kejriwal is a fierce critic of Modi and was arrested a month before the election in a liquor politics corruption case, sparking accusations that Modi's government was seeking to cripple the opposition through investigations and arrests.
Kejriwal denies corruption allegations, while the government says it has no influence on law enforcement.
