Lower turnout, ‘silent voters’ to keep BJP, Congress candidates on toes

Tribune News Service

Pradeep Sharma

Chandigarh, May 25

The BJP and the Congress leaderships are at their wits’ end in the backdrop of lower voter turnout in the Haryana Lok Sabha elections today. This coupled with ‘silent voters’ have only added to the anxiety of the BJP and the Congress candidates, who are locked in a neck-and-neck contest on all 10 Lok Sabha seats.

No anti-incumbency, claims BJP

The Modi magic and a divided Congress will ensure that Haryana contributes 10 seats to the 400 seats of the BJP. There is absolutely no anti-incumbency against the BJP government. Subhash Barala, convener, BJP Lok Sabha Poll Mgmt Committee

Major issue, insists Congress

The anti-incumbency, especially against the BJP government in the state, was a major election issue and people have voted overwhelmingly for the Congress in the parliamentary polls. — Vijay Bansal, Congress leader

Drop in polling percentage

While in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the voting percentage was pegged at over 70%, this time the polling percentage has been reported to be over 65% in the state.

Though the leaders of two major political parties put up a brave face, saying the lower voter turnout would ultimately prove to be beneficial for them, observers say ‘silence’ of the voters could turn the tide either way.

While in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the voting percentage was pegged at over 70 per cent, this time the polling percentage has been reported to be over 65 per cent. Subhash Barala, convener of BJP Lok Sabha poll management committee, however, claimed the Modi factor and the unprecedented development undertaken by the BJP in the state would help the party retain all 10 seats.

“The lower or the higher voter turnout does not matter for the party. The Modi magic and a divided Congress in the state will ensure that Haryana contributes 10 seats to the 400 seats of the BJP at the national level. There is absolutely no anti-incumbency against the BJP government,” Barala asserted.

The observers said usually a lower voter turnout ensured that there was less anti-incumbency against the state or the national governments. This would mean the BJP would be able to escape the anti-incumbency in this parliamentary elections.

Dilbag Singh, a political commentator, however, cautioned that since polling percentage in the rural areas is reported to be high, the BJP facing anti-incumbency could not be ruled out in view of the farmer’ unrest and unemployment. “We will have to wait for the June 4 to analyse the polling pattern and see whether anti-incumbency was in play or not,” he asserted.

Congress leader Vijay Bansal echoed similar sentiments, claiming that the farmers’ protests and unemployment were major issues in the Lok Sabha elections and the BJP would have to pay a heavy price on account of these issues. “The anti-incumbency, especially against the BJP government in the state, was a major election issue and people have voted overwhelmingly for the Congress in the parliamentary polls,” Bansal claimed.

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