India split over BJP\\\'s Modi

NEW DELHI Apr 25 (BBC): India's marathon general election appears to have split the country politically into two halves -- people who support and oppose Narendra Modi, the controversial prime ministerial candidate of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, writes journalist Madhuker Upadhyay.

This is probably the first time that a general election in India is centred around one personality who is loved and loathed in equal measure.

Mr Modi, who has been chief minister of the western state of Gujarat since 2001, is seen as a dynamic and efficient leader who has made his state an economic powerhouse.

But he is also accused of doing little to stop the 2002 religious riots when more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed -- allegations he has consistently denied.

Those who believe in Mr Modi paint him as a messiah, while the non-believers are convinced that he is a divisive figure that India's diverse society cannot afford. They see this split as the vindication of their argument.

The believers say there is an "unstoppable wave" in favour of Mr Modi.

A large section of the mainstream media has helped fan this perception, covering his energetic campaign with considerable enthusiasm. Opinion polls have also contributed to the feeling by predicting a veritable sweep for Mr Modi and the BJP, and the decimation of the ruling Congress party.