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India's parties gear up for polls

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A no-confidence motion brought against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament by opposition parties is widely seen to have set the tone for the general election in India to be held by May next year.

While his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which holds a majority in Parliament, predictably won with 325 votes to the opposition's 126 votes, the battle was fought for all to see in a 12-hour debate telecast live as both sides tried to send a message to their constituencies and score political brownie points.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 23, 2018, with the headline India's parties gear up for polls. Subscribe