LOC14:49
11:49 GMT
NEW DELHI, April 26 (KUNA) -- India is holding on Friday the second phase of General Elections with 13 states and union territories going to polls.
According to the Election Commission of India, 158.8 million people are eligible for votes in this phase as voters are going to elect 88 MPs of the 543-member Parliament.
Elections are being held today for all 20 Parliament constituencies in Kerala, 14 in Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, eight each in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, seven in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, three each in West Bengal and Chhattisgarh and one each in Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and Tripura.
The first phase of election that took place in 102 constituencies from across 21 states and Union Territories on April 19 saw 65.5% voter turn out.
Indian Parliament Elections, termed as the biggest voting exercise in the world is scheduled to take place in a total of seven phases spanning six weeks. The last phase will take place on June 1 and the results would be announced on June 4.
The ruling coalition under the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the main contestant while the INDIA alliance led by the opposition Indian National Congress which ruled the country for decades is giving a tough competition.
According to several exit polls the ruling BJP under Modi, which courted controversy for stoking communal issues often targetting the minority Muslims, is poised to win for a third consecutive term as its leaders are seen succeeding in polarising voters in the name of Hindutva.
It also came on the opposition Congress party accusing it of adopting Muslim appeasement politics.
Modi's party is increasingly facing several challenges due to price rise of essential commodities including oil and gas, rampant unemployment, exorbitant tax, farmers protests, autocratic behaviour, suppression of opposition and communal tension. (end)
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