India’s Modi calls rivals pro-Muslim as election campaign changes tack
NEW DELHI, April 23 (Reuters) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist party have begun attacking opposition rivals, saying they favour minority Muslims, in what analysts see as a bid to invigorate their hardline base after general elections began last week. India began voting on Friday in a seven-phase election at which Modi seeks a rare third consecutive term, with campaigning that had so far largely focused on his record of growth and welfare as well as his personal popularity. But in a speech on Sunday, Modi referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” who have “more children”, linking