Millions of Indians head to polls in Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat

India’s western state of Gujarat is set to choose its next government when it goes to the polls in a two-phase election that begins on Thursday. 

Pre-poll expectations indicate that the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi - which has been in power in Gujarat for the past 27 years - is likely to triumph. 

Gujarat is Modi's home state and he was chief minister there for 13 years from 2001 to 2014, prior to his election as India's Prime Minister. He is still a larger-than-life figure in Gujarat and is a big reason for the continued popularity of the BJP. 

Godhra train burning was preplanned and executed for Narendra Modi and BJP's electoral victory in 2002 assembly elections - Shankersinh Vaghela, Former Gujarat CM👇 (1/2) pic.twitter.com/YVfMHO31bO

— Ravi Nair (@t_d_h_nair) November 25, 2022

The BJP however has been accused of sowing division and hatred through it's anti-Muslim rhetoric across the country for decades, and this was reflected in its Gujarat campaign.

The party appears to be attempting to rewrite the history of the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat, where thousands of people - mostly Muslims - were killed by roving bands of Hindu extremists just months after Narendra Modi was elected as the state's chief minister.

Modi has been repeatedly been accused of inciting and encouraging the extremists. 

During an election rally, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah invokes anti-Muslim Gujarat pogrom of 2002.

“We taught them such a lesson,” Shah told the crowd. pic.twitter.com/mL0NN9Hub9

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) November 25, 2022

On 25 November, India's home minister and BJP stalwart Amit Shah claimed his party had established peace in the state and taken "strict action against those who used to indulge in communal violence", despite the Modi government releasing 11 men earlier this year convicted of raping a five-months pregnant woman and killing her family during the pogrom. 

Gujarat has become extremely polarised during the past two decades of BJP rule. Critics say that Muslims have been ghettoised by the authorities, and are often unofficially prohibited from buying property in Hindu-dominated neighbourhoods. 

The other major parties contesting the elections are the Congress, India's oldest party, which has lost control of most of the country over the past few years, and the underdog Aam Aadmi Party. The results of the contest will be declared on 8 December.

A Professor in a class room in India calling a Muslim student ‘terrorist’ - This is what it has been to be a minority in India! pic.twitter.com/EjE7uFbsSi

— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) November 27, 2022

Discrimination against Muslims is becoming increasingly common across India.

Earlier this week, a professor at a university in India likened a Muslim to a terrorist, according to videos being shared on social media. 

Last month, a Muslim man, Mohar Ali, was arrested in the eastern state of Assam after opening a small museum in his home to showcase the culture of Bengali-speaking Muslims in the state. 

Critics have said his arrest is part of a series of attempts to marginalise the Muslim community in multi-ethnic Assam.