More than 50 million people will cast their votes to elect a new government in India’s southern Karnataka state on Wednesday.
More than 2,600 candidates are in the fray for 224 assembly constituencies in the sixth-largest state in the country. More than a million people will vote for the first time, the chief election commissioner said.
Polling is scheduled across more than 58,000 stations and counting will be done on May 13.
The battle is between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, the main opposition Indian National Congress — hoping to form a government with a full majority — and the regional Janata Dal.
The BJP has fielded 224 candidates, the Indian National Congress 223 and Janata Dal 207.
The BJP is aiming to win a second consecutive term, which no party has done since 1985. It is also the only state in southern India where BJP is in power.
Karnataka is a vital state for the party. The state sends 28 parliamentarians to the lower house.
The election is crucial for Mr Modi's BJP as it is seen as an indicator of the party's performance in general elections next year.
Mr Modi, who addressed several large rallies during months-long campaigns, wrote an open letter to voters urging them to “exercise their franchise” for the future of the state.
“The BJP government will continue to work to create next-gen urban infrastructure in Karnataka, modernise transport, raise the quality of life in rural and urban areas and create opportunities for women and youth,” Mr Modi wrote.
Corruption, unemployment, inflation, potholes, floods and religion are the key electoral issues in the communally-sensitive state.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Indian billionaire father-in-law Narayana Murthy were among the early voters.
