[Five voting districts with up to 7.5 million eligible voters in
upper Assam and one district in the neighboring state of Tripura are
participating in the opening stage of the nine-phase elections in India. The
estimated 8,000 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 5 p.m. The
chief electoral officers of Assam and Tripura reported 72.5 percent and 83
percent voter turnout, respectively, as of Monday evening.]
By Nida Najar
 |
Utpal Baruah/Reuters
A woman preparing to cast her vote inside a polling
booth in Dhekiajuli in the
Tezpur constituency of Assam, on Monday.
|
After weeks of campaigning, with politicians hurling insults at
one another and making booming speeches in cities, towns and villages, the
world’s largest democratic elections began in the most remote, northeast corner
of the country on Monday.
Five voting districts with up to 7.5 million eligible voters in
upper Assam and one district in the neighboring state of Tripura are
participating in the opening stage of the nine-phase elections in India. The
estimated 8,000 polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 5 p.m. The
chief electoral officers of Assam and Tripura reported 72.5 percent and 83
percent voter turnout, respectively, as of Monday evening.
Each constituency in Assam has a large percentage of rural
voters, and many areas have vast tea plantations, with their workers making up
a large portion of the electorate.
In the city of Dibrugarh, in upper Assam, lines were short, but
in the village of Khowang, about 35 kilometers outside the city, roughly 600
people flocked to two booths set up in a government school.
India’s elections, which run from Monday to May 12, will cover
28 states and seven union territories, which are governed by the central
government. These elections will see some of the country’s 814.5 million voters
exercise their franchise. The votes will be counted on May 16.
This vote is widely seen as historic, coming at a time of
widespread social change that has put the Indian National Congress-led
government on the defensive after leading the country for 10 years. Opinion polls have shown that voters are
leaning toward the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, or B.J.P., as a growing
middle-class electorate expresses disappointment with lackluster government
services and corruption; voters are mobilizing on social media en masse for the
first time; and the B.J.P. has connected to crucial voting demographics —
including rural and young voters — by harnessing a popular demand for change.
[Murli Manohar Joshi, the president of the manifesto committee, said the party had received more than 100,000 suggestions. The committee went through all of them, discussing them with people from all walks of life.]
By Vishnu Varma
NEW DELHI — After several days of repeated delays, the Bharatiya Janata Party released its national manifesto on Monday, focusing on what it called the five T’s: tradition, talent, technology, tourism and trade.
The B.J.P., which is the main opposition party and is widely
seen as the front-runner in the national elections, had been expected to
release its manifesto last week but instead delayed the release to coincide
with the first day of voting on Monday.
In a makeshift hall made comfortable with air-conditioning and
saffron-clad chairs, there was a buzz of excitement and widespread speculation
among attendees as to what the party would consider including in its manifesto.
Top party leaders, including Narendra Modi, the party’s candidate for prime
minister, attended the high-level meeting.
“This manifesto is not an election ritual,” Mr. Modi said in a
solemn tone. “This is our direction, our aim and our commitment.”
Murli Manohar Joshi, the president of the manifesto committee,
said the party had received more than 100,000 suggestions. The committee went
through all of them, discussing them with people from all walks of life.
Calling the two terms of the Indian National Congress-led United
Progressive Alliance a “decade of decay,” the B.J.P. said it would tackle the
key issues of corruption, illegal money, inflation and policy paralysis if
elected to power.
In its manifesto, the party said that because it considers young
people to be the “most productive asset of the nation,” it would work to
integrate young people into the development process. To encourage talent in all
sectors, the party said it would create a nationwide talent incubator program,
to be instituted at the district level, to encourage innovation and
entrepreneurship.
The party highlighted the tourism sector as a major player in
job creation and an important generator of foreign exchange earnings. The party
said it would create 50 tourist circuits that revolve around broad themes like
archaeology, culture, spirituality, the Himalayas and the coast.
The manifesto also reaffirmed the party’s commitment to the
Hindu nationalist cause. It said that if it came to power, it would build theRam Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on
a site that Hindus believe is the birthplace of Lord Ram, a Hindu god. In 1992,
a mob destroyed a 16th-century mosque that had stood there.
The manifesto also said, “India shall remain a natural home for
persecuted Hindus, and they shall be welcome to seek refuge here.”
Other highlights of the party’s agenda include:
Opposition to foreign direct investment in multibrand retail A
reaffirmation of its opposition to opening the multibrand retail sector to
foreigners. However, it said it would welcome foreign direct investment in all
other sectors where job and asset creation are important.
Quotas for women The party said it
was committed to setting aside a third of the seats in state assemblies and
Parliament for women.
Creation of a national energy policy The
party would work to form a comprehensive national policy for energy
conservation by maximizing the potential of energy sources like oil, gas,
hydropower, ocean and coal.
Zero tolerance on terrorism, extremism and crime The
party has committed to insulate intelligence agencies from political
intervention and interference.
Protection of the cow and its progeny The
party said it would strengthen the Animal Husbandry Department in order to
protect the sacred animal.
The Congress party, which put out its own manifesto in late March,
dismissed the opposition party’s agenda, calling it a “copycat manifesto.”
“We are flattered by B.J.P.’s manifesto, if imitation is the
best form of flattery,” Sanjay Jha, a Congress spokesman, said in a televised
interview.
Reporting was contributed by Suhasini Raj, Hari Kumar and
Malavika Vyawahare in New Delhi.
