Modi's BJP set to retain India's most populous state after vote - opinion polls

A woman leaves after casting her vote as others wait for their turn at a polling station during the last phase of state assembly election in Varanasi in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, March 7, 2022. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

LUCKNOW (Reuters) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party is expected to retain control of India's most populous state after a month-long voting process ended on Monday, according to opinion polls which have a mixed record in the country.

Holding onto Uttar Pradesh would give a huge boost to Modi's hopes of winning a third straight term office in the 2024 general election and bolster his image as the most popular politician in the country in decades.