Millions vote in world’s largest election

NEW DELHI – India began the world’s largest election yesterday, with the ruling Hindu nationalists hoping soaring economic growth will win them a new mandate from the 670 million eligible voters.

Tens of millions of people voted, many waiting in snarling queues, in 140 constituencies spread over India that voted Tuesday, the first of five dates in the marathon election the results of which will be announced May 13. Opinion polls show Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to emerge again as the largest party in the 545-seat parliament on the back of strong economic growth.Vajpayee gambled by calling the election five months ahead of schedule after a bountiful monsoon kicked the economy into top gear, helping his party to a sterling performance in December regional elections.The opposition Congress party, led by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, charges that India’s growth of more than eight percent last year was engineered by nature, not the BJP, and scoffs at the ruling party’s “India Shining” slogan.- Nampa-AFPOpinion polls show Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to emerge again as the largest party in the 545-seat parliament on the back of strong economic growth.Vajpayee gambled by calling the election five months ahead of schedule after a bountiful monsoon kicked the economy into top gear, helping his party to a sterling performance in December regional elections.The opposition Congress party, led by the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, charges that India’s growth of more than eight percent last year was engineered by nature, not the BJP, and scoffs at the ruling party’s “India Shining” slogan.- Nampa-AFP