India election 2019: Powerful regional parties face poll test

(FASTNEWS|COLOMBO) – Powerful regional parties in India will be on the ballot on Thursday, as people across 13 states and union territories began voting to elect a new parliament.

This is the second stage of polling in the country’s general election – widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Polling will be held in 97 seats, and tens of millions are eligible to vote.

Regional parties in states like Tamil Nadu in the south and West Bengal in the east are hoping to do well.

The election is taking place over seven stages, with votes being counted on 23 May. With 900 million eligible voters, this is the biggest election the world has ever seen.

Mr Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a historic landslide in 2014, which many say polarised India.

He will be hoping for a repeat performance. But the kingmakers in this election are expected to be regional parties, which dominate politics in several Indian states and are fronted by charismatic local politicians. (Courtesy: BBC)