Millions vote in Gujarat

Millions voted in India's western state of Gujarat on Tuesday in an election that was supposed to be about a booming economy but turned into a war of words over Hindu-Muslim divisions. Hindu-majority Gujarat, one of India's richest and fastest growing states but also one of its most communally divided, votes in a two-stage poll that is being closely watched for clues about the fortunes of the country's two main parties.
Early voters, some of them in their pajamas, queued at polling stations across the 87 constituencies that went to the ballot box on Tuesday, out of 182 in the state.
About 60 percent of the 5.5 million eligible voters cast their ballot, the election office said. The second phase takes place on December 16 and results are expected on December 23.
The election started out as a referendum on development, with the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) boasting that it had brought industrial growth and rural prosperity, and Congress trying to attract those who have missed the train.
But the gloves came off when Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, who heads the ruling national coalition in New Delhi, called the BJP government of chief minister Narendra Modi "merchants of death" at a rally last week. Modi is accused of turning a blind eye to or actively encouraging Hindu-Muslim riots in 2002 in which between 1,200 and 2,500 people were killed, most of them Muslims.
He swept the elections held later that year after a campaign in which he played on fears about Muslim terrorists and styled himself the protector of Hindus. In the past week he has returned to his hard-line Hindu nationalist agenda, while still pushing his development record. "The lotus has to bloom in India," said businessmen Umeshbhai Bavala, 40, referring to the symbol of Modi's party. "He has promised us welfare and we trust him."
Modi is favourite to win but analysts predict a close result. Even some Hindus are unhappy with his record. "I feel that the Congress is the only party that works for the poor and downtrodden," said 68-year-old Manu Parmar. "It is high time we threw out the dictator," said Anisa Jam, at 18 a first-time voter. "Innocent Muslims are being targeted and we are hesitant to even speak about it."