Modi caught in row as millions vote in India

With Rahul Gandhi facing the heat from BJP's Smriti Irani and AAP's Kumar Vishwas, Priyanka Gandhi told election meetings that her family had abiding links with the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. "Rahul understands that people are the final arbiter. I know he sincerely works for you."

In Andhra Pradesh, nine of the 10 districts which constitute the Telangana region recorded brisk voting. Voter turnout was low in Hyderabad in the initial hours.

Prominent among the contestants for Lok Sabha elections include union cabinet Minister S. Jaipal Reddy (Mahabubnagar), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao (Medak) and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi (Hyderabad).

Speaking after voting in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, TRS chief Rao said he was confident of his party forming a government on its own strength in the proposed state of Telangana.