Indian election second phase commences

Voters go to the polls in second phase of India's massive election

by Staff Writer 18-04-2019 | 2:45 PM
Reuters - Voters across India began queuing up early on Thursday (April 18) in the second phase of a mammoth, staggered general 

election

 in which opposition parties are trying to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi from winning a second term. More than 155 million people are eligible to vote in the second phase, which covers 12 states including parts of restive Jammu and Kashmir. The focus will be on the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, where the main opposition Congress party and its allies need to win big if they hope to oust Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The 

election

 began last week and will end next month in a giant exercise involving almost 900 million people. Votes will be counted on May 23 and the results are expected the same day.