Indians are voting in the first round of the country's 15th general elections. Voters in 124 constituencies are taking part in the ballot. There has so far been a steady turnout, marred by several attacks from Maoist insurgents. More than 700 million Indians overall are eligible to vote for seats in the lower house of parliament. The incumbent Congress-led coalition government is facing a challenge from the main opposition BJP-led alliance. The two main blocs are also competing against a "third front" of communist and regional parties in a poll that is too close to call.
Indians are voting in the first round of the country's 15th general elections.
Voters in 124 constituencies are taking part in the ballot. There has so far been a steady turnout, marred by several attacks from Maoist insurgents.
More than 700 million Indians overall are eligible to vote for seats in the lower house of parliament.
The incumbent Congress-led coalition government is facing a challenge from the main opposition BJP-led alliance.
The two main blocs are also competing against a "third front" of communist and regional parties in a poll that is too close to call.
HYDERABAD, India -- India began voting Thursday in one of the country's messiest elections in recent years, with no reliable forecast of who would prevail in campaigns that stressed hyper-local issues rather than the overall direction of the country.Neither the governing Indian National Congress or the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to prevail without making deals with a host of ambitious smaller party bosses, who are expected to drive hard bargains for a shot at power. With more than 714 million people eligible to vote, Indians are due to go to the polls over the next four weeks to elect 543 members of Parliament. Results are to be announced on May 16. Initial reports from the Central Election Commission indicated turnouts as high as 86 percent in some places, even in scorching heat.
HYDERABAD, India -- India began voting Thursday in one of the country's messiest elections in recent years, with no reliable forecast of who would prevail in campaigns that stressed hyper-local issues rather than the overall direction of the country.
Neither the governing Indian National Congress or the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to prevail without making deals with a host of ambitious smaller party bosses, who are expected to drive hard bargains for a shot at power.
With more than 714 million people eligible to vote, Indians are due to go to the polls over the next four weeks to elect 543 members of Parliament. Results are to be announced on May 16. Initial reports from the Central Election Commission indicated turnouts as high as 86 percent in some places, even in scorching heat.
