Modi-led BJP buoyant as India readies for Lok Sabha battle

New Delhi, April 5 - India will begin voting Monday in a staggered national election widely tipped to give a decisive edge to a confident BJP, led by Hindutva mascot Narendra Modi, which may however still fall short of a parliamentary majority. It will be the world's biggest democratic exercise, involving a staggering 814 million voters - of which about 120-150 million will be first-time voters - across the length and breadth of the seventh largest country, who will cast their votes in 930,000 polling booths to choose from hundreds of candidates - nominations are still being filed -- and dozens of political parties, big and small.