The western Indian state of Gujarat heads to the ballot Thursday, the result of which will be seen as a test of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s hold over his home turf and an indicator of his popularity with national elections less than two years away.
Modi ruled the state for over a decade before moving to the national stage in 2014. His Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party has held power there for more than a quarter century. The state will vote to elect a new legislature in two phases. The second round of voting will take place on Monday. The