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India's founding fathers on trial
NEW DELHI, May 19 : The values of India's founding fathers —secularism, socialism and a casteless society — are being put to the test tn pariia mentary elections this week, reports AP
Voters will chose India s fourth government in 19 months, climaxing one of the most politically turbulent perl ods since Independence in 1947.
There are half a billton eb gibic voters, making the election the largest exercise In democracy the world has ever seen
Indian elections are almost always violent, and campaign clashes have claimed nearly 100 lives since March.
Voting In about 600.000 polling stations will be stag gered over three days -Monday. Thursday and next Sunday — so that millions of police and paramilitary troops can be shifted to likely areas of violence. Complete results are not expected until May 28
"No previous general election has aroused so little enthusiasm In the people or so much dread.' said Prem Shankar Jha. an economic journalist and former government spokesman. The issues "touch the very core of India's nationhood.'
There are 8.854 candidates running for seats in the 545 member Lok Sabha. the law making lower house of Parliament.
Many have conducted old style whistle-stop campaigns through towns and hamlets More than two out of three Indians live in villages and one in two can't read, which makes personal contact crucial.
Polls published on the eve of the voting predict the Congress Party of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi will win the most seats but tall short of a majority
Bharatiya Janata is riding a wave of revitalised Hindu pride — and tapping resentment against India's Muslim minor tty. About 82 pre cent of India's 844 million people are Hindus, and 12 per cent are Muslims.
Still, many voters remain undecided Apathy and frus tration with politicians is evident.
"All they say Is Iles.' said Bhoop Singh, a middle-aged farmer in Sanoll. a village of 2.000 people about 88 miles (110 kilometers) from New Delhi. They have no honor, no purpose, and once the electton Is over they are not willing to meet us.'
Since the last election In November 1989. India has had two short-lived minority gov ernments. each governing with the tacit support of other parties.
About two-thirds of the candidates are independents. The national parties are in the ruling along with 41 state parties and 307 smaller parties Only a handful might win