Low voting in 6 Assemblies worries nominees

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, June 1

Despite a bitterly fought battle for supremacy in the Assembly bypoll, there was a significant decline in the voter turnout in all the six constituencies of Dharamsala, Gagret, Kutlehar, Barsar, Sujanpur and Lahaul Spiti, where simultaneous polling was held.

Polling for the six Assembly segments indicated a dip in voter turnout recorded till 5 pm, except in Lahaul Spiti, though the figures are likely to go up marginally. The low voter turnout is giving anxious moments to the candidates.

The highest voter turnout of 74.09 per cent was recorded on the Lahaul Spiti Assembly seat, while the lowest percentage of 50. 0 was recorded in Barsar as compared to 72.29 in 2022 poll, followed by 63 per cent in Sujanpur as compared to 74.12 per cent in 2022. With brisk polling in the morning hours, the Lok Sabha polling had touched 59 per cent by 3 pm.

With Congress giving the tag of turncoats to its six rebel MLAs Sudhir Sharma, Rajinder Rana, ID Lakhanpal, Ravi Thakur, Devender Bhutto and Chaitanaya Sharma it’s a question of political survival for them. The fact that they are still trying to find their feet in the BJP along with the threat of undercutting, has resulted in a situation of do-or-die for them.

The presence of BJP rebels, former minister Ram Lal Markanda in Lahaul Spiti and Rakesh Chaudhary in Dhramasala has added to the worries of the BJP. Barring these two segments where there is a triangular fight, the Congress and BJP are locked in a direct fight in the other four segments.

The political future of former Minister Sudhir Sharma, three-time MLAs Rajinder Rana and Inder Dutt Lakhanpal is at stake after following their disqualification after they raised the banner of revolt against CM Sukhu. All the six MLAs had cross voted in favour of the BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan to ensure defeat of Congress candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi during the Rajya Sabha election on February 27, 2024. All six were disqualified by the Vidhan Sabha Speaker under Anti-Defection law.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu launched an onslaught against the six rebels while terming it a fight between ‘janbal vs dhanbal.’ He tried to seek sympathy by accusing BJP of trying to topple a democratically elected government.

The highest voter turnout of 73.72 percent was in the tribal assembly segment of Lahaul Spiti while lowest polling percentage of 50. 0 was recorded in Barsar assembly segment in Hamirpur district. Incidentally Lahaul Spiti has the lowest voter number in Himachal at 25,967.