Millions vote in Indian state elections

Millions of voters on Thursday queued outside polling stations in two Indian states to vote in provincial legislative elections.

Voting began early morning in the northeastern state of Assam and southern Kerala state, along with the federally administered territory of Puducherry, according to the Indian Election Commission.

Two more states including West Bengal will vote later this month and the results will be declared next month on May 4.

Roughly 174 million people are expected to vote in these elections.

On Thursday alone, over 290 legislative seats are up for vote.

The result of the state election will be a litmus test for the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), especially in Assam, which has been ruled by an alliance led by the BJP, since the last two terms.

Notably, the right-wing BJP has not fielded any Muslim candidate among its nominees.

Muslims, including Bengali-speaking Muslims -- often referred to as Miya Muslims, constitute more than 34% of Assam's population.

For the opposition parties, the elections are also crucial, as they make efforts to challenge Modi's countrywide dominance.

As voting began on Thursday, Modi appealed to people to exercise their franchise in large numbers.

"I hope that the state's youth and women voters participate enthusiastically and make this election a celebration of democracy and public duty," Modi said on the US social media company X, ahead of the voting.

He made similar appeals for Kerala and Puducherry.