The dip in voter turnout in the first two phases of Lok Sabha polls has sounded an alarm in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has instructed its cadre to redouble the party’s outreach and ensure its vote share does not decline in the wake of voter apathy.
According to senior leaders, the turnout in states such as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has led the central leadership to crack the whip on the state units, and sought a detailed explanation from the state incharges overseeing polls.
A senior leader privy to the details however said the low turnout cannot be read as an indicator of anger or apathy towards the ruling party alone. “The low turnout could also mean that the voters who are disillusioned by the opposition and its lack of direction and leadership are not coming out to vote,” the leader said on condition of anonymity.
This assertion notwithstanding, the party brass has urged the state incharges to ensure that the trend of low voter turnout does not continue for the next five phases. The BJP has set a target of winning 400 of the 543 seats with its allies and has set its sights on winning 50% of the total votes polled.
While party leaders blame the intense heat and the propensity of urban voters to take off during for a break if the voting day is scheduled on the weekend, concerns have been raised over the sluggish response from the state units to the outreach activities that were planned.
{{/usCountry}}While party leaders blame the intense heat and the propensity of urban voters to take off during for a break if the voting day is scheduled on the weekend, concerns have been raised over the sluggish response from the state units to the outreach activities that were planned.
{{/usCountry}}“In some areas the MPs and the MLAs did not canvass on the ground as was expected. This has not gone unnoticed... the lack of enthusiasm from the top may have affected the booth workers who are the nerve centres of our election campaign. This issue is being addressed...” a leader from Madhya Pradesh said.
Read more: Narendra Modi says ‘mystery’ of Rahul Gandhi's foreign trips out: ‘Brought an…’
Voter turnout in the second phase was 63.5% by 10pm. Madhya Pradesh registered a turnout of 58.3% against 67.7% in 2019; Maharashtra had 58.99% as against 62.8% in 2019 and a dip in Bihar saw the turnout fall from 62.93% in 2019 to 58.5% .
In Rajasthan too where the BJP is eyeing all 25 seats, the voter turnout was 61.60%, which is lower than the 66.07% recorded in 2019.
As per the election commission’s data, the turnout at the end of the first phase of polls on April 19 was 65.5% across 102 Lok Sabha seats; this was lower than the 69.9% registered during the corresponding phase in 2019.
Read more: Amethi, Raebareli decision left to Kharge; CEC leaders want Rahul, Priyanka
In Rajasthan and MP, the dip has also raised questions about the leadership of the two new chief ministers, Bhajan Lal Sharma and Manoj Yadav, said a third leader.
“This is the first big election after the two were sworn in, replacing Vasundhara Raje (in Rajasthan) and Shivraj Singh Chouhan (in MP); both were stalwarts and masters in galvanising support for the party. Both CMs will now have to pull out all the stops to ensure that they deliver in the upcoming phases,” said the third functionary.