Millions vote in leftist strongholds in India

Indian voters wait in line to exercise their franchise at a polling station at Domjur, some 30kms west of Kolkata yesterday. The second phase of five phases of voting in 294 state assembly constituencies has started under tight security in India's Marxist bastion of West Bengal, where leftist parties are expected to win big and gain strength on the national scene. PHOTO: AFP

Paramilitary troops holding automatic weapons kept a close watch for any trouble as voters in colourful ethnic dresses arrived in the second of the five-phase election process in West Bengal.

The Congress party, which heads the ruling federal coalition, rules three of the five states facing election this year. The party and its allies are fighting stiff battles against the coalition's own communist allies and other regional parties.

Voting also began in Kerala where the Communist-led opposition is bidding to defeat the ruling alliance led by the Congress party.

The first-phase of election process concluded on April 17 in three Maoist-dominated districts of West Bengal without any trouble despite a boycott call from the rebels.