KOLKATA,India — India’s election officials on Sunday started counting votes in five states from elections held in March and early April at the start of a surge in COVID-19 cases that has overwhelmed the country’s healthcare system.
The state election results are seen as a test of the impact the devastating second wave of the pandemic is having on support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his right-wing BJP party.
The counting of votes in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry is scheduled to end on Sunday as well, with results to be announced once the tallies are done.
While Modi’s ruling BJP is seeking to consolidate its hold over more states, the main o…
Keep on reading: Vote count in five Indian states begin amid COVID-19 pandemic