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

By ASHOK SHARMA
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of Indians are voting in the second round of multi-phase national elections with some big names in the contest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is strongly promoting his party’s pro-Hindu line in his campaign. Rahul Gandhi, a top opposition party leader, is contesting from Wayanad constituency in southern Kerala state for a second time after he was defeated in 2019 elections by a BJP leader in the northern Indian city of Amethi — a traditional stronghold for the Nehru-Gandhi family. 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 that runs until June 1. The votes will be counted on June 4.