'The basic rights of the common man are being denied and there is an atmosphere of tension and fear,' Sing said.

Manmohan Singh, a former prime minister and an opposition Congress party leader, criticized the BJP's Hindu nationalism, saying that society was being divided on the basis of religion, culture and language. Thousands of paramilitary soldiers and local police were guarding voting stations to prevent clashes between rival supporters. And India's economy is still struggling to emerge out of the coronavirus crisis - another pivotal challenge for Modi, who came into office partly on promises of economic development - just as cases are rising again even as a massive vaccination campaign has begun.

The vote comes as tens of thousands of farmers have rattled Modi's government with prolonged protests on the fringes of the capital, New Delhi. The elections are seen as crucial for the BJP to gain a foothold in the northeast and south. 'The BJP's success depends on if it is able to polarize Hindu votes to a huge extent, and get half of the 70 per cent of Hindu votes,' said Subir Bhowmik, a political analyst. Nationwide, Muslims comprise nearly 14 per cent of the 1.4 billion people, while Hindus make up 80 per cent. The BJP has for years been accused of stoking religious polarization and discriminating against minorities, and faces stiff challenges in both states with populations that are nearly 30 per cent Muslim. Top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Modi, have campaigned heavily to win West Bengal for the first time and dislodge the state's chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, as well as retain power in northeastern Assam state. Two Indian states with sizeable Muslim populations began voting in local elections Saturday in a test of strength for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose Hindu nationalist agenda is being challenged by months of farmer protests and a fresh wave of the pandemic.

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