India’s General Election enters second phase, 160 million people vote under scorching heat

On Friday, April 26th, the second phase of the Indian general elections took place. Voting began at 7 a.m. and 160 million people were eligible to vote in this phase, which will decide 88 out of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian Parliament).

The results of Friday’s voting are crucial for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as they contest for 88 constituencies across 13 states, including traditional BJP strongholds like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

The Indian general elections are the largest democratic exercise globally, spread over seven phases of voting with a total of 970 million eligible voters, which is over 10% of the world’s population. The voting began on April 19th and will conclude on June 1st, with counting set to start on June 4th.

Modi’s challengers come from a coalition of over 20 parties, promising more inclusive actions, relief measures, and an end to what they call Modi’s authoritarian rule.

Since the first phase of voting on April 19th, the campaign has intensified with Modi and the main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, clashing on issues of minority rights. Modi has accused Congress of favoring the Muslim minority, aiming to dilute equality laws, and planning to impose an inheritance tax.

Congress has denied these allegations, accusing Modi of fear-mongering and using divisive language to shift focus away from issues like unemployment, inflation, and rural distress.

Over the weekend, Modi’s remarks sparked controversy when he suggested that if Congress were to win, national wealth would be distributed to “infiltrators” and “those with more children,” seemingly targeting the Muslim community.

In India’s population of 1.4 billion, Hindus make up 80%, Muslims 14%, and Christians and Sikhs each constitute 2%.

Rahul Gandhi, former president of Congress and their key spokesperson, is one of the 1,200 candidates contesting on Friday.

After voting began, Gandhi posted on social media, stating, “Your vote will decide whether the next government is made up of ‘a few billionaires’ or ‘1.4 billion Indians’.”

Gandhi emphasized that every citizen has a responsibility to step out and vote today, “to protect democracy.”

Modi also urged people to vote, stating on social platforms, “I especially urge our young voters and female voters to participate actively. Your vote is your voice!”

Gandhi is seeking reelection in Wayanad, Kerala, a state dominated by left-wing parties. His challengers include Annie Raja from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and K. Surendran from the BJP.

The Election Commission of India and political parties have been concerned about low voter turnout, attributing it to high summer temperatures and the wedding season in some regions of India. Currently, the voter turnout for the first phase of voting is estimated at only 62%, lower than the almost 70% in 2019.

Weather websites indicate that this summer in Bangalore is unusually hot, with the maximum temperature reaching 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit) on Friday, and Mathura expected to soar to 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit).