DHAKA: Millions of Indians in states of Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have been voting, braving the searing sun on the final day of the country’s staggered parliamentary elections.

Thousands lined up early on Monday to vote in the revered Hindu holy city of Varanasi, where Narendra Modi, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for prime minister, is seeking election.

Modi is locked in a battle with Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of India's anti-corruption AAM Aadmi Party, and Ajay Rai of the Congress party.

More than 66 million voters spread across three states are eligible to exercise their ballots on the last day of polling for 41 Lok Sabha (lower House of parliament) seats.

A clash erupted as the voting opened in West Bengal state, where Ajay Dasgupta, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) spokesman, accused governing Trinamool Congress workers of firing at his party supporters, wounding four of them.

The BJP went into the election with strong momentum on promises of economic growth. Early polls suggest there is deep dissatisfaction with the ruling Congress party’s 10 years in power.

Modi is vying to win his seat in Varanasi located in northern Uttar Pradesh state six weeks after the start of the world’s biggest election, which has been marred by religious divisions and personal attacks.

BDST: 1828 HRS, MAY 12, 2014