Christians pray and brace for election outcome

Christians across the nation are fervently praying, as poll results will be announced for five states - Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram.

The crucial state assembly polls, will determine the upcoming national election amid the criticism over economy and security, which some fear will indirectly benefit the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party fighting the ruling Congress.

As counting is still underway Monday, news channels showed the ruling Congress party doing better than expected.

While the UPA govt. is on track to retain power in the capital area New Delhi, and could wrest power in the northern desert state of Rajasthan from its main rival, the BJP appears to retain its hold over the central states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Says Bishop DK Sahu, the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in India: "We have urged churches and Christians to pray for the elections. We pray that God appoints the right representatives, one who is impartial and can prioritize the people's interest than any."

"Due to lack of support to Christians, in many states, they have been persecuted, arrested, and sometimes murdered. We pray God bless the elections, so we can have the right leader who will support and protect minorities in India," he told Christian Today.

The triumph of BJP might surely prove bane to Christians - who are often persecuted for their faith. There have been speculations that the victory of the nationalist party will bring the legislation against mass conversions.

Some of the states ruled by its party have already passed the anti-conversion laws, which several times have been misused to suit the Hindu aggression over Christian missionaries.

Many have been falsely implicated on these charges, most of them in states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. India now has seven states with legislation banning unregistered or unethical religious conversions.

Orissa that witnessed one of India's largest anti-Christian violence is ruled by a coalition of the Biju Janata Dal and the BJP. The violence since August 23 following the assassination of a Hindu leader, led to the murder of over 110 people and the fleeing of at least 50,000 to forests.