Vajpayee set for victory in Indian elections

MORE than 200 million Indians go to the polls today in the final stage of a closely- fought general election, with the future of the country’s economic reforms hanging in the balance.

Exit and opinion polls show Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s ruling coalition likely to emerge as the biggest bloc in parliament but falling short of an outright majority.

With the 79-year-old Vajpayee’s track record as a master of coalition politics and his reputation as a moderate, he remains the firm favourite to form a new government, analysts say.