DATE=9/11/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDIA/ELECTIONS
NUMBER=2-253729
BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
Intro: India has held the second round of voting in
elections for a new parliament. As Anjana Pasricha
reports from New Delhi, security was tight for the
Saturday balloting -- epecially in the northern Jammu
and Kashmir state. At least two people were killed in
election-related violence. Still, authorities say the
voting has been relatively peaceful.
Text: Saturday's polling was spread across the country
and included eight states, stretching from Tamil Nadu
in the south to Kashmir in the north. Voters were
choosing 123 members of parliament, who will make up
about one quarter of the lower house.
Hundreds of thousands of policemen guarded polling
stations. Clashes between rival party workers led to
violence in the western state, Maharashtra. Other
incidents of scattered violence were reported from
several states.
The poll was relatively peaceful in southern Kashmir.
Voters were choosing candidates from Jammu
and Udhampur, where the Hindu population is higher
than in the Kashmir valley. More people turned out to
cast ballots here than in Srinagar, which went to the
polls last week - but where a call for an election
boycott by Muslim separatist groups kept most voters
away.
This year, many voters have been unenthusiastic about
the elections. Political analysts are attributing
voter apathy to the frequent elections in recent
years. The country is going to the polls for the third
time in as many years. Independent political analyst
Subhash Kashyap says this year's election has been the
dullest in recent times.
/// KASHYAP ACTUALITY ///
Largely, it is the fatigue and a feeling of what might
be called ennui, with too-frequent elections. Second
is the weather in many parts of the country. It is
still rainy season.
///END ACTUALITY///
With Saturday's voting, about half the races in
parliament will have been decided. But the results
will not be announced several days after the last
round of polling is held, October fourth. The election
is spread over a month to allow security forces better
cover the country.
The main parties in the race are the Bharatiya Janata
Party-led coalition and the Congress Party.
Campaigning has focussed mainly on B-J-P Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Congress Party
President Sonia Gandhi.
Opinion polls indicate the B-J-P / led coalition will
win a majority of the seats in the legislature --
riding on a wave of Prime Minister Vajpayee's personal
popularity. The Congress Party is expected to win less
than one third of the seats in parliament. (signed)
Neb / wd
11-Sep-1999 07:03 AM LOC (11-Sep-1999 1103 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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