India’s colossal election season begins as Modi seeks third term

India’s mammoth election season has kicked off. Almost a billion people will cast their vote over the next 44 days to elect its government.

As the Prime Minister’s car approaches, the chants of “Modi!” are deafening. His cavalcade moves at walking pace and as it nears, the people surge forwards with their phones out, snapping the moment for posterity.

The atmosphere is carnival-like, with blaring music, drums and dancers in traditional Indian clothes.

Narendra Modi, 73, has kicked off his campaign for a third term with a roadshow in Ghaziabad, a city in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

Shishir Gupta is here with his family. “I’m not interested in the candidate,” he says. “It’s because of Modi every BJP candidate wins, I’m here to see him.”

Atul Garg, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate of Ghaziabad who was lucky to get a personal endorsement from Mr Modi, echoes the same sentiment. At a gathering in Dholara, Mr Garg says: “I don’t need to campaign, we are just wasting time and effort, people will vote only for Modi.”

Mr Garg’s own campaign lacks enthusiasm. Rather than for himself, he seeks votes in the name of PM Modi. SkyNews

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