After all the hype generated about `voting’ in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls, it was surmised that Bangaloreans would turn out in huge numbers to exercise their franchise. But the data collated by the Election Commission at the end of polling on Thursday smacked of voter-apathy: Nearly half of Bangalore did not vote.
While Bangalore South and Central recorded a voter turnout of 55 per cent each, polling in the huge Bangalore North constituency was 52 per cent. Though the polling percentage in Bangalore has improved compared to the 2009 Lok Sabha polls where Bangalore South saw a voter turnout of 44.74
In fact, Bangalore’s voter turnout is much lower than the state averageof 5 per cent. Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha said: “The turnout in Lok Sabha polls will usually be 4-5 per cent lesser than the turnout during assembly polls (it was 57.38 per cent in 2013 assembly polls). The turnout touching 56-57 per cent in this polls is quite satisfactory.”
Politicians, cutting across party lines, maintain that Bangalore’s participation is abysmal compared to other cities including Delhi in the backdrop of the voter awareness drives and media hype.
Minority votes consolidated, says Congress
Earlier, the trend used to be that if there is huge polling, it is an advantage to Congress, as it meant that the slum voter and the lower middle class, traditionally their votebanks, had voted en masse. ”Now we can’t say which party has more advantage, as the breakup of votebanks across the parties is difficult to estimate. My guess is that a polling percentage over 70 to 75 percent would have been more beneficial to the BJP, as it would mean that the social media hype over Narendra Modi had translated into votes. I think the 65 per cent average is good for us,” Congress spokesperson B L Shankar said.
Party leaders point out that there has been a consolidation of minority votes in all constituencies in Karnataka and that could account for a good half of the polling in all constituencies. ”We are also confident that the AHINDA — minorities, backward classes and dalits — have turned out in large numbers and supported us all across the state,” another leader said. The party is slightly worried about the huge polling in Bombay-Karnatak region which could mean that the Lingayats have turned out en masse and could support the BJP.
BJP disappointed
Former law minister and BJP spokesperson S Sureshkumar expressed his disappointment over the voting in Bangalore city. “Polling should have touched 65 per cent going by the trend and support that we witnessed during the campaign trail all over. No election was discussed as much as this one and social media campaigning had taken over the campaign trail in a large way. But the same support has not been reflected in the polling act and this is really a sad reflection. However, the party and all of us are confident about the prospects of our candidates keeping in mind the current figures.”
Sureshkumar had complained to the EC about the possible low turnout and requested a change in the polling dates across the state. “Nobody wants to stay back in cities with a series of holidays stretching for about four to five days. The poll percentage has reflected the urban voters’ mentality and cynicism towards the system or it could be the feeling that they do not want anything from the government which is contrary to rural mentality,” Sureshkumar explained.
According to the BJP insiders, in 2009 the party had the highest vote share of 41 per cent largely in the urban localities which resulted in winning 19 seats. “Though the figures are not matching our expectation, the urban turnout has been steady and promising. Usually in Lok Sabha polls there will be four to five percent lesser turnout than assembly. Increased turnout would only reflect the anti-incumbency factor among voters and to dethrone the government they come out in large numbers. In this case higher the percentage it is always better for us. In 2009 Bangalore South recorded only 48 per cent turnout, but this time it has already reached 55 per cent,” explained a source close to Bangalore South candidate Ananth Kumar.
Figures are promising, claims JDS
The regional party with high stakes in this election, the JDS is more or less satisfied with the turnout particularly in rural areas and tier-II locations. Giving an insight into the trend, former CM H D Kumaraswamy, who is also contesting from Chikkaballapur explained, “These figures may be disappointing for the national parties. But for a regional party like JD(S) it is promising. More the percentage, the more will be the lead and vote share of our party. JD(S) has always had its support base in rural areas, unlike the national parties that relied on urban dwellers. If you go by the figures, rural areas have accounted for 65 to 70 per cent polling which is affirmative. In 2009 we had only 14 per cent vote share and this time it is likely to go up to 28 per cent better than the assembly performance in 2013.”
The JDS confidence stems from the fact that in the Vokkaliga dominated Southern Karnataka, the polling percentages have been very high. This is presumed to be a consolidation of the Vokkaligas along with some of the more minor other backward classes and to an extent the minorities. The JDS anticipates that this combination has voted for them, rather than the Congress or the BJP in their stronghold.
AAP expected 60% turnout
The most crushing disappointment is being felt by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which had expected at least a 60 per cent vote in Bangalore city. The party, relying on the educated, social-media active class to come out on the streets and vote for them, like they did in Delhi, is currently licking its wounds, but hoping for a better situation in the upcoming Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) polls.
”It is a shocking percentage. Last time about 45 per cent of 53 lakh lakh people voted. This time it is 55 per cent of 72 lakh, which is an improvement, but still extremely disappointing for us,” said AAP member Prithvi Reddy.
He pointed out that all these years, Bangaloreans would give a standard answer on why they didn’t vote.
“They would say there is no one to vote for. This time they did not have that excuse. All parties have put up decent candidates. When there was a choice, what is their excuse? They are so involved in their own lives, they don’t understand what a big opportunity they have lost to make a difference. They have also lost the right to complain,” Reddy added.
