India’s biggest state holds election in key test of Modi’s popularity

Defeat in Uttar Pradesh, or in any of the other three states it holds that also stage elections this month, would add to pressure on the Bharatiya Janata Party amid criticism of high unemployment and its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh began voting on Thursday in the first of a series of local elections that will be a key test of the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ruling party.