Voting in the second of India's seven-phase general election is underway. Among the areas voting are southern states, where the ruling B-J-P hopes to make progress.

Kerala

India's second phase of the seven-phase general election is currently in progress, with southern states among those heading to the polls. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is looking to expand its influence in these regions. Despite experiencing a heatwave, a significant turnout is expected, with 160 million people eligible to vote across 13 states and union territories.

This round of voting includes areas where the BJP has historically been strong, such as Assam, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Citizens and officials report that the party's tenure has seen major infrastructural developments and initiatives to alleviate economic distress, with unemployment and Hindu-Muslim relations improving. Currently, the focus is particularly on Kerala and Karnataka, states not under BJP control, with Kerala being a state where the BJP has historically not won any seats.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking a third term, has faced criticism and formal complaints for allegedly violating electoral norms through hate speech. Both the BJP and opposition Congress party have received notices from the Election Commission. The southern state of Karnataka, particularly its capital Bengaluru, is grappling with water scarcity and traffic issues, which are key concerns for voters there, particularly the youth.

As India progresses through its electoral process, the next phase is scheduled to take place on May 7th. Nearly a billion people are expected to participate in the election by its conclusion on June 1st, with results anticipated shortly thereafter.



Second phase of voting underway in India

Despite a heat wave in several states, these voters are determined to exercise their democratic rights. 160 million are eligible to vote in India's second phase of election across 13 states and union territories. It includes some strongholds of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party or the BJP in states like Assam, Rajasthan, Batipradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. In the last 10 years, we've seen a lot of change. The government has alleviated economic distress, built better roads and addressed issues like unemployment. Since the BJP has come into power, we have not seen any Hindu-Muslim conflict. But all eyes are on the states of Kerala and Karnataka, which are not governed by the BJP. Ahead of the polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held several campaign rallies in leftist-governed Kerala. It's the only state where the BJP has never won a seat. This year, it hopes to change that. The Election Commission has issued notices to the BJP and the Opposition Congress for violating electoral rules after complaints by both parties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who's seeking a third term, was accused of hate speech during a rally last week. Will your hard-earned money be given to cowards? Only because of the first-place results, now Modi ji is totally panicking, brother. That is why he is doing low-level attack on Congress party. In Karnataka's tech city and capital Bengaluru, governed by the Congress, water scarcity and traffic gridlocks are major issues. The region is home to some thousands of IT companies. The city's fast-paced growth is struggling to keep pace with development and seems to be an issue for young voters. We are that sad now. We don't even think that this is something politicians can fix because they never talk about it. Traffic is our problem. Roads are our problem. Hospital is your problem. The third phase of polls will be held on May 7th. Nearly a billion people will cast their ballots in this election, which will end on June 1st and the results are expected a few days after that.

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Council of the City of Sydney

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Rafah

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State of Rio Grande do Sul

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London

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Willetton

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