Modi Votes in Third Phase of India's National Election
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Facts
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote on Tuesday in the third phase of the Indian election, which covered 93 seats. The fate of 283 of the parliament's 543 seats has so far been sealed.1
- Modi voted in Gandhinagar in his home state of Gujarat, following which he tweeted seeking voters' 'active participation' in the 'festival of democracy.'2
- Voting began at 7 a.m. local time across 11 states and Union Territories. Key contestants included several cabinet ministers, including India's Home Minister Amit Shah.3
- Most polls are projecting a victory for Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against the Congress-led opposition.4
- Though surveys suggest employment and inflation are voters' priorities, Modi's campaign — after initially emphasizing his economic record and popularity — has allegedly pivoted to energizing his Hindu base, characterizing rival parties as pro-Muslim.5
Sources: 1Reuters, 2The National, 3Hindustan Times, 4Associated Press and 5GEO.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Al Jazeera. The third phase of the world's largest election faced multiple challenges — including low turnout, hateful speeches, and allegations of bias against the Indian Election Commission. However, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will challenge Modi's National Democratic Alliance (NDA) despite Modi's lead in opinion polls.
- Narrative B, as provided by Arab News. To achieve its target of 400 seats in the Lok Sabha, India's lower House, Modi's party has deployed strategic tactics, including leveraging celebrity candidates. Regional dynamics, electoral strategies, and voter demographics shape the unfolding political landscape in India's intricate election process. The BJP has a firm plan to win a supermajority.