PM Modi’s Struggling Rival Rahul Gandhi Votes in Elections: Foreign Media
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: India Votes in Seven Phases
25.05.2024: India is conducting its Lok Sabha elections in seven phases over six weeks, aiming to manage the immense logistical challenge of voting in the world’s most populous country.
Rahul Gandhi Casts His Vote Amid Criminal Probes
New Delhi: Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi voted today as the country’s extended election period continued. Amidst this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government faces accusations from rivals of unjustly targeting them with criminal investigations.
PM Modi’s Popularity and Election Prospects
At 73, PM Modi remains widely popular after a decade in office. His ruling BJP is expected to secure a third term next month, despite the election being marked by recurrent early summer heatwaves. Modi’s prospects are also bolstered by ongoing criminal investigations into his opponents, raising concerns from UN rights chief Volker Turk.
Rahul Gandhi Votes in Delhi’s Sweltering Heat
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cast his ballot in Delhi, where temperatures were forecasted to reach 43 degrees Celsius. After voting, Gandhi took a selfie with his mother, Sonia Gandhi, but did not address the media. Last year, he was convicted of criminal libel, resulting in a two-year prison sentence and his disqualification from parliament, which was later suspended by the Supreme Court.
Arvind Kejriwal Votes Amid Graft Case
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, 55, and leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), also voted today. Detained in March over a long-running graft case, Kejriwal was bailed earlier this month and returned to campaigning. “Modi has started a very dangerous mission,” he said, accusing the PM of intending to imprison all opposition leaders.
Opposition Alliance Against PM Modi
The Congress party leads an opposition alliance of more than two dozen parties, including the AAP, aiming to contest PM Modi jointly. Kejriwal’s AAP, which grew from an anti-corruption movement, has had electoral success in Delhi and Punjab but struggles to gain a nationwide foothold.
Financial Struggles for Congress
In February, the authorities froze several Congress bank accounts over a dispute concerning five-year-old income tax returns. This move severely impacted the party’s campaign capabilities. “We have no money to campaign; we cannot support our candidates,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters in March.
Heatwave ‘Red Alert’ Affects Voting Turnout
India’s election is being held in seven phases to ease logistical burdens, but turnout has dropped compared to the 2019 polls. Analysts attribute this to the expected PM Modi victory and hotter-than-average temperatures. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heatwave “red alert” for Delhi and surrounding states, warning of heightened health risks for vulnerable populations.
Climate Change and Election Conditions
Extensive scientific research indicates that climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent, and more intense, with Asia warming faster than the global average. This has added another layer of challenge to the ongoing elections.