India: Modi casts vote as giant election reaches half-way mark

Prime Minister Narendra Modi voted early on Tuesday as India held the third phase of a massive general election, when seats in his home state Gujarat and 10 other regions will be decided.

The world's most populous nation began voting on April 19 in a seven-phase election in which nearly one billion people are eligible to vote, with ballots set to be counted on June 4.

Modi is seeking a rare, third straight term in a vote which pits his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against an alliance of more than two dozen opposition parties. Surveys suggest he will win a comfortable majority.

Modi cast his ballot in the Gandhinagar constituency where his number two, Home Minister Amit Shah, is the BJP candidate.

He urged citizens to actively participate in the "festival of democracy", while taking care of their health as summer temperatures continued to rise in many parts of the country.

Clad in saffron and white, he was surrounded by hundreds of supporters and party members, signing autographs and talking to children on the way to the polling station.

Modi's campaign began by showcasing his economic record, welfare measures, national pride and personal popularity.

The BJP relies heavily on his popularity, with his image adorning everything from sacks of rice handed out to the poor to large posters in cities and towns.

But some voters said it was not enough.

"Yes, the government gives us free rice, but what's the point? Look at the cost of potatoes and onions. It was never so high before," said 50-year old Rina Kathar from Baligate in the northeastern state of Assam, which also voted on Tuesday.

Assam is prone to frequent flooding and M. Ahmed, 30, said his basic concerns included bad roads and poor drainage systems in the state capital Guwahati.

"Today is the festival of democracy and I appeal to people to come out and vote," he told reporters after voting. "India is moving forward and will continue to do so."