Modi casts vote as India goes to 3rd phase polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today joined thousands of Indians in casting their voters in the third and the biggest single round of the long-drawn parliamentary elections.

Modi cast his vote at a booth set up in a school in Ahmedabad in his home state Gujarat where polling to all the 26 parliamentary seats were held along with 89 other seats spread across 13 states and two federally-administered territories in an exercise in which nearly 190 million people are eligible to vote.

Emerging from the booth, Modi told the media that "the weapon of terrorism is IED, the strength of democracy is a voter ID. I can say with certainty that the voter ID is much, much more powerful than an IED, so we should understand the strength of our voter IDs."

"I feel proud to do my duty of voting in my home state Gujarat and participate in this massive festival of democracy. Just like one feels after taking a dip in the holy river during the Kumbh Mela, I feel the same after voting."

He said "voters are wise. They know what is right and what is not."

Later, the PM took to Twitter with a post that said "voted. It feels great to be taking part in our democratic process."

Earlier this morning, Modi said in a separate tweet:  "Urging all those voting in today's Third Phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to do so in record numbers. Your vote is precious and will shape the direction our nation takes in the years to come."

Before casting his vote, the Prime Minister met his 97-year-old mother Heeraben, who lives in Gandhinagar, and sought her blessings by touching her feet. Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, the capital city of Gujarat, are twin cities at a distance of 25km.

Modi is seeking a second successive term in office in the national election having led his Bharatiya Janata Party with a commanding majority on its own in the previous poll five years ago in a first-of-its-kind mandate to any party in three decades.

Modi reached the polling booth in an open jeep instead of a bullet-proof vehicle. The jeep moved slowly through the crowd as he waved. Accompanied by his security men, Modi folded his hands and spent several moments waving at the people. BJP president and Modi's close aide Amit Shah and his family greeted him.

After casting his vote, the Prime Minister displayed his inked finger and walked on the streets along with Shah who is the party candidate from Gandhinagar constituency.