NEW DELHI (AP) — Two Indian states with sizeable Muslim populations are voting in local elections in a test of strength for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose Hindu nationalist agenda is being challenged by monthslong farmer protests and a fresh wave of the pandemic. Top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Modi, have campaigned heavily to win West Bengal for the first time and dislodge the state’s chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, as well as retain power in northeastern Assam state. The BJP has for years been accused of stoking religious polarization and discriminating against minorities, and faces stiff challenges in both states with nearly 30% Muslim population. Nationwide, Muslims comprise nearly 14% of the 1.4 billion people, while Hindus make up 80%.
