PATNA, India — A brutal heat wave, together with threats of violence from communist guerrillas, kept millions away from the polls Thursday in India’s monthlong election.
The initially high turnout slowed to a trickle as summertime temperatures reached 111 degrees. The intense heat caused the death of one election official and hospitalization of another in Orissa state, said Prabhakar Sahu, a spokesman for the election commission.
The low numbers were expected to further confuse an election already dominated by a range of regional and caste-based parties and without any dominant central issues.
Polls indicate neither the Congress party, which leads the governing coalition, nor the main opposition, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, will win enough seats in the lower house of Parliament to rule on their own. That means it will likely leave India with a shaky coalition government.
Problems awaiting the next premier include Maoist rebels, who have threatened to kill citizens participating in the vote.
The results are expected May 16.
by the associated press
The initially high turnout slowed to a trickle as summertime temperatures reached 111 degrees. The intense heat caused the death of one election official and hospitalization of another in Orissa state, said Prabhakar Sahu, a spokesman for the election commission.
The low numbers were expected to further confuse an election already dominated by a range of regional and caste-based parties and without any dominant central issues.
Polls indicate neither the Congress party, which leads the governing coalition, nor the main opposition, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, will win enough seats in the lower house of Parliament to rule on their own. That means it will likely leave India with a shaky coalition government.
Problems awaiting the next premier include Maoist rebels, who have threatened to kill citizens participating in the vote.
The results are expected May 16.
by the associated press
