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Nearly 185 million votes are being counted in five Indian states to determine who will form the local government in each of them. Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa all voted to elect a new government over the past month. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a main contender in all five states, and especially in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP is now in power, is a key battleground state and has been seen as an indication for parliamentary elections - the next one is due in 2024. The issue of religious freedom has become central to the campaign.聽The Hindu nationalist BJP party is hoping to hold on to power in the state, led by a controversial monk, Yogi Adityanath, who has made inflammatory statements about Muslims. Tipped as a future prime minister, he formed a right-wing group over a decade ago which has been out campaigning for him in this race. The 麻豆社's South Asia聽Correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan reports from the campaign trail, where a member of a group in support of the BJP explain their wish for a Hindu nation, a message which strikes fear among the country's Muslims, who make up the second largest Muslim population in the world. Photo: Voters stand in queue to cast their vote at a polling station in Uttar Pradesh, India Credit: Reuters
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