Low turnout in Karnal MC poll raises concern among candidates

The low voter turnout in the Karnal Municipal Corporation (MC) elections has raised concerns and anxiety among candidates, making the results highly unpredictable.

With a 48.8 per cent turnout, only 1,47,211 voters cast their vote out of 3,01,918 eligible electors, reflecting a steep decline of 13 percentage points from the 61.8 per cent turnout in the 2018 mayoral elections. The trend is even more alarming when compared to the 2012 elections where 73.5 per cent of voters participated.

The voter participation in the MC poll was also lower than that in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. In October, the Karnal Assembly segment recorded a 56.4 per cent turnout, while during the Lok Sabha election, the segment saw around 57.9 per cent participation.

The declining turnout in urban local body elections suggests growing voter apathy, raising concerns about electoral engagement at the grassroots level.

The low turnout has added to the uncertainty for the two main contenders in the prestigious Karnal mayoral race -- BJP candidate Renu Bala Gupta and Congress-backed Independent candidate Manoj Wadhwa.

Both candidates remain confident of victory. Renu Bala Gupta expressed optimism, crediting her party workers for their efforts. “I am confident of my victory as the people of Karnal have given me their full support. My party workers, supporters and well-wishers worked tirelessly. The low turnout will be beneficial for me as it generally favours the ruling party,” she said.

On the other hand, Manoj Wadhwa is equally optimistic but acknowledges the tight race. “This will be a victory for my supporters, voters and the residents of Karnal. Those who wanted a change came out to vote, while those who did not want change stayed home. I am confident of my victory,” he added.

Political analysts observed that low voter turnout generally indicates a lack of strong motivation for change, which often favours the incumbent party. However, the presence of silent voters remains a significant concern for all political parties, as their preference could swing the outcome unexpectedly.

“It seems there was no wave or excitement among voters, making the results even more uncertain. Low turnout is a major concern for all political parties and candidates. They must address this issue. Otherwise, it is dangerous” said Dr Kushal Pal, principal of Indira Gandhi National College, Ladwa.