• by IPS Correspondents (new delhi)
• Wednesday, November 16, 1994
• Inter Press Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 16 (IPS) - INDIA WEDNESDAY EMBARKED ON YET ANOTHER MAMMOTH DEMOCRATIC EXERCISE, WITH A MILLION VOTERS CALLED ON TO DECIDE THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF TWO SMALL STATES AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SUBCONTINENT.

MORE THAN HALF THE ELECTORATE WAS REPORTED TO HAVE TURNED OUT TO ELECT A 32-MEMBER ASSEMBLY IN THE TINY NORTHEASTERN HIMALAYAN STATE OF SIKKIM AND 40 STATE LEGISLATORS IN SOUTHWESTERN GOA ALONG THE ARABIAN SEA.

ANOTHER 74 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE WORLD'S BIGGEST DEMOCRACY WILL CHOOSE THEIR REPRESENTATIVES IN THE LARGE SOUTHERN STATES OF KARNATAKA AND ANDHRA PRADESH IN SEPARATE BALLOTS ON NOV. 26 AND DEC. 1. VOTES WILL BE COUNTED IN ALL THE STATES ON DEC. 9.

THE TWO ROUNDS OF POLLS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ELECTIONS IN SIX OTHER STATES NEXT YEAR AND ARE SEEN AS CRUCIAL TESTS FOR INDIA'S PRESENT AND LONGEST RULING PARTY, AHEAD OF PARLIAMENTARY POLLS DUE IN 1996.

BUT PRIME MINISTER P.V. NARASIMHA RAO'S CONGRESS PARTY, WHICH IS TRYING TO RETAIN OFFICE IN ALL FOUR STATES GOING TO POLLS THIS YEAR, IS RELUCTANT TO LIKEN THEM TO A REFERENDUM ON THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES.

POLITICAL OBSERVERS WERE TAKEN BY SURPRISE WHEN RAO RECENTLY SAID HE WAS MISQUOTED DURING A POLL RALLY IN HIS HOME STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH WHERE NEWSPAPERS REPORTED HIM SAYING THAT THE OUTCOME WOULD DECIDE HIS POLITICAL FUTURE.

THE PREMIER AND CONGRESS CHIEF WAS REPORTED TO HAVE TOLD HIS AUDIENCE IN ADILABAD DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH ON OCT. 18 THAT THE VOTE IN THE FOUR STATES WOULD BE "AN ACID TEST" FOR HIS GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES.

ANALYSTS SAY RAO AND THE CONGRESS ARE TRYING TO PLAY SAFE. THE PARTY FACES SERIOUS CHALLENGES AND DISSENT IN THE SOUTHERN STATES. IT ALSO HAS TO LIVE UP TO ITS SHOWING IN LAST YEAR'S PROVINCIAL POLLS WHEN, TO ITS SURPRISE, THE PARTY BESTED ITS MAIN NATIONAL OPPONENT, T ITEM CLOSED

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