India’s national election will enter its eighth, and penultimate, phase of voting when seven states go to the polls for 64 parliamentary seats on Wednesday.
Southern state Andhra Pradesh, which has been split into two with the recent establishment of Telangana state, will see the biggest day of voting with 25 constituencies being contested. Voting in all constituencies of northern states Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will be completed Wednesday.
Three key states including Uttar Pradesh, India’s biggest and most populous state, adjoining Bihar and eastern state West Bengal will witness contests between state-based regional parties and the two major national parties - the ruling Congress party and principal opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Voting in Indian-held Jammu & Kashmir, where voting has been very low following boycotts by pro-Independence groups, will be completed after polling in the last two constituencies.
The high-energy campaign for the eight-phase ended Monday with the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Amethi, where ruling Congress party prime ministerial candidate Rahul Gandhi is contesting a seat.
Out of the 543 constituencies in Indian parliament’s lower house, 438 have already gone to polls in the six-week-long national election, which started on April 7.
According to exit polls, the BJP, which has been in opposition since 2004, is expected to form the next federal government.
By Mubasshir Mushtaq
englishnews@aa.com.tr
