Indian elections Mr Modi’s home state goes to polls

Tuesday’s vote is also important for Mr Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as his home state of Gujarat is voting. Mr Modi may not be on the ballot, as he is running in Varanasi, but there is still a lot interest in various seats – including Gandhinagar, where party president Amit Shah is contesting.

Among those hoping to unseat him is Vejli Rathod, a Dalit (formerly untouchable) man who says he is still waiting for charges to be brought following his son’s death in a police shooting back in 2012.Fed up, he decided to run against Mr Shah, one of India’s most powerful politicians.

“Victory may come and go, but I am fighting against Amit Shah for justice,” Mr Rathod thunders.
This election is largely seen as a referendum on Mr Modi
Election-watchers are also likely to take an interest in Congress’s 37-year-old Sherkhan Pathan, the state’s only Muslim candidate.

Muslims account for around 9% of the state’s population, but Gujarat has not elected a Muslim MP since 1984. Only three of the five Muslim candidates who contested state polls in December won.However, Mr Pathan argues that it isn’t his religion which won him his place on the ballot.”I’ve been chosen to run because I’m young and represent a wide variety of voters here – not because I’m Muslim,” Mr Pathan affirms.

It’s Rahul Gandhi vs Raghul Gandhi in Wayanad
On a lighter note, there could be some confusion on the day as there are actually two Rahul Gandhis – and one Raghul Gandhi – all vying for votes in the same seat.Rival parties are known to put up candidates with similar or same names to confuse voters, this happens frequently in other constituencies as well.