American Marconi Wireless News - India's fat dog vote goes viral

The "Fat Dogs of Delhi" contest, in the style of Alaska's annual Fat Bear Week, has turned Instagram into a virtual polling booth, attracting nearly 100,000 followers.

The competition, which began on September 24 with 64 dogs, culminates in a final round on Wednesday -- complete with rival campaigns, posters and accusations of paid publicity.

Organisers, on the @fatdogsofdelhi Instagram account, say voting will also take place in person on Wednesday.

"Delhi's heavyweight election gets ruff", the Hindustan Times reported. "Serious Pawlitics", The Print added.

The competition was thrown into disarray when frontrunner Gola -- meaning "round", a tubby brown hound -- was reported to have died.

Voting is now down to its final round, pitting the late Gola, also known as "Kebab", against Googoo, a hulking brown-and-white dog.

Organisers, who have stayed anonymous, said they were taken aback by the "dramatic spike in our social media followers" since its launch.

The site, which posted videos of the rotund hounds getting belly rubs, has posted details of animal charities "working to ensure that our furry little friends get a dignified life."

There are tens of thousands of stray dogs in the capital.

In middle-class neighbourhoods, many of Delhi's strays are beloved by residents, with some dogs even dressed in jackets during winter.

But the city's media also regularly report on attacks by stray dogs, a crisis compounded by inadequate sterilisation programmes and legal restrictions on culling.

The Supreme Court last year ordered a mass roundup of dogs, before scaling back the operation after questions were raised over the feasibility of such a large-scale exercise.

The canine contest comes against the backdrop of more serious electoral politics.

The Election Commission of India, long regarded as the guardian of the world's largest democracy, is facing scrutiny after a newspaper investigation alleged impropriety during a large-scale voter-roll revision.

The ECI, a constitutional body, has rejected the allegations, saying its decisions were unanimous and legally valid.

O.M.Souza--AMWN