In the India own General elections started. There are about 970 most votes in the world millions Eligible voters called more than one million voting place to choose the composition of the lower house (Lok Sabha), which has more than 500 seats. Survey say a victory for the Hindu nationalists Political parties Prime Minister's BJP Narendra Modi in advance.

This means that the 73-year-old leader, who is very popular among the people, can rule for another five years after ten years in power. Elections take time because of the size of the country – India is the most populous country in the world with 1.4 billion people – six weeks and taking place in seven phases. The first starts on Friday Voting in 102 of the total 543 constituencies, such as Election Commission announced. The biggest democracy there are 36 in the world America and administered federally area.

First to start Voting in 102 of the total 543 constituencies, such as Election Commission announced. The biggest democracy there are 36 in the world America and administered federally area. That number of voters The total was around 60 percent that day. Near one voting place In the Chhattisgarh region where Maoist insurgents are strong, a security guard was killed in an explosion, local news agency PTI reported.

Incidents at several polling stations

In Country Manipur is said to have several voting place Incident Among them were gunmen and destroyed voting machines, the Times of India wrote. In temperatures that sometimes reached more than 40 degrees, voters lined up and pointed Voting their index fingers are proudly marked with indelible ink – from the Himalayas to the contested Kashmir Valley to tropical islands.

Modi and the BJP are confident of winning. India rose to become the fifth largest under it Economic strength about what attracts investors. Mode invested heavily in modern infrastructure such as roads, express trains and airports. But the opposition complains of uneven growth. It is said that the rich are favored, while unemployment is high and corruption is rampant. Plus inflation. Critics throw Mode also plans to use special authority to fight the opposition. Before the election, several Opposition leader arrested on corruption charges, among other things.

Weak opposition

According to observers, Modi also benefits from the fact that the opposition is weak and fragmented. “The Indian opposition has been busy with itself for a decade and has no strategy for this election,” said Elias Marini Schäfer of the Democratic Party. Konrad Adenauer Foundation in New Delhi.

As the greatest for Modi challenger applies to Rahul Gandhi by the Congress Party, which ruled most of India's independence from Britain in 1947 – until he Mode with its BJP from power in 2014. Since then, India's influence on the world stage has increased significantly. Western countries want to cooperate more closely with China in dealing with an increasingly aggressive China.

Criticism of Modi

Modi concentrates power in his office, weakening the independence of public institutions such as the judiciary and media, building a cult of personality around himself and his ideological goals. Political parties pursued with ruthless efficiency, wrote Foreign Affairs magazine ahead of the election. “There isn't any democracy much more in India,” Congress leader Rahul recently commented Gandhi.

Convince his followers Mode on the other hand, with a vision of making the subcontinent a rich and globally valuable country with Hinduism at the center of national identity. Critics complain that religious minorities are increasingly becoming second-class citizens. Opposition leader Gandhi fear: “They want to eliminate the democratic process so they can destroy all other ideas.” To achieve this goal, Modis is making efforts Political parties constitutional amendment. But it will be one of them A two-thirds majority in parliament building necessary – but, according to observers, this will be difficult.