Low voter turnout to impact BJP? Not quite, say experts but...
Experts like JNU's Professor Himanshu Prasad Roy consider the turnout dip negligible, predicting minimal impact on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, opposition parties argue the decline signifies public fatigue with the BJP and accuse the Election Commission of bias. Anish Kumar reports
 )
FollowNew Delhi: Polling on 428 Lok Sabha constituencies has been completed across the country, with a dip of 2-3 per cent against the voting in 2019. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections, scheduled in seven phases, have so far completed five phases. Now, the election on 115 seats is to take place in the next two phases -- May 25 and June 1.
Asianet Newasble reached out to a number of experts to understand why the voting percentage has dipped this time and what it signifies. Jawaharlal Nehru University’s (JNU) political science professor Himanshu Prasad Roy told Asianet Newsable that there is no significant drop in the voting percentage. The drop is between 2-2.5 per cent maximum."
One being asked about its impact, Professor Himanshu said it would have less impact on the Bharatiya Janata Party. It must be noted that the opposition and a number of political experts have been stating that a dip in voting percentage could see the BJP going out of power.
It should also be mentioned that the difference between provisional voting percentage and final voter turnout is around 5-6 per cent. The opposition has been alleging that the Election Commission has not been neutral and is conspiring to benefit the ruling party.
"The opposition is trying to give impressions that the people are now fatigued with the current government so they are not venturing out to vote. There are internal differences between the RSS and the BJP. They have also created a narrative that the RSS cadres and BJP workers are not mobilizing the voters on the ground. The people are now disenchanted with Narendra Modi. His magic is not working now. These are deliberate attempts to show everything is not perfect on the ground," Professor Himanshu Roy said.
Psephologist Shashi Shankar Singh cited the heat wave as one of the reasons for low voter turnout this time.
Differing from Professor Himanshu Roy, Psephologist Shashi Shankar Singh said that the BJP workers did not have any pointers to pull the voters to the polling booths. "In 2019, the people voted for Modi to carry out the Balakot airstrike. They felt that Modi had taken revenge against Pakistan. In the 2014 election, the people had hope for Modi. But in 2024, there is nothing. The neutral voters are not coming out. Those who are voting are voting on their issues,” he said.
Till the 4th phase of the election, the Election Commission -- in its revised voting data -- has added over 1.07 crore voters. The opposition has been raking this issue and also sought clarification from the election body. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Predictions galore at Rajasthan's popular Phalodi satta market
subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here.For more reliable and latest news
subscribe to Asianet Newsable Telegram channel by clicking here.
