In a development that has surprised many in the State political circles, eight constituencies in Vidarbha and Marathwada that went to the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on Friday recorded 59.63 per cent polling, which reflected a significant 3.3 per cent drop in the polling percentage witnessed for the same eight seats in 2019 LS. polls.
Apart from a marked 3.33 per cent drop in the polling percentage from the voter turnout of 62. 97 per cent registered in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the polling percentage recorded in Maharashtra on Friday was four percent less than the polling percentage of 64 per cent recorded at the national level. In the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim -- all from Vidarbha, Hingoli, Nanded, and Parbhani - in Marathwada region went to polls on Friday.
By 5 pm on Friday, the eight constituencies 53.51 per cent of the total 1.5 crore voters had exercised their franchise and one expected that the polling percentage might pick up during the last one hour. But, it did not happen. The final polling percentage in eight constituencies showed that a relatively low 59.63 per cent of voters exercised their rights in the second phase of polling. Wardha recorded a maximum 62.65 polling, followed by 60.79 per cent in Hingoli, 60.74 per cent in Amravati and 60.09 per cent in Parbhani. The four other constituencies recorded below 60 per cent polling-Nanded (59.57 per cent), Buldhana (58.45), Akola (58.09) and Yavatmal-Washim (57 per cent).
Unlike in the 2014 and 2019 where there was a Modi wave at the ground level, there was no absolutely no wave in favour or against any political party in any of the eight constituencies. All efforts by political parties of different hues - including the BJP which is struggling to retrain four of the eight seats it had won in 2019 Lok Sabha.
And the Opposition Congress - failed to whip any frenzy or a wave in the run-up to Friday's polls.
Interactions that "The Pioneer" had with a section of voters across the eight LS constituencies revealed that apart from the general lack of enthusiasm among large sections of voters, particularly the middle classes, utter disenchantment among the farmers in the peasant suicide belt, migration of youth to other cities for jobs and unbearable heat conditions contributed to the marked reduction in the polling percentages. Another reason cited for the drop in the polling percentage was the clash of the second polling date with marriages in this region.
"It was an incredibly dull election. Unlike in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, there was no excitement at all in the election. There was hardly any enthusiasm among the middle classes to participate in the elections. Similarly, there has been migration of unemployed youth to other cities in the state. Most of them did not come back to vote on the polling day. Plus the hot summer conditions with mercury rising up to 43-44 degrees C prevented people from coming out to vote," Nagpur-based journalist and a researcher on agrarian crisis in Vidarbha region Jaideep Hardikar said.
Hardikar, who both as journalist and a core member of the People's Archive of Rural India has travelled in the length and breadth of Vidarbha and written extensively about the farmer suicides and cotton crisis over the years, said that there was a strong undercurrent of resentment among the farmers in the region against the Modi government. "Though many of them stayed away from polling, large sections of farmers who turned up for voting were sure of their choice of candidates to vote for. I am sure when the votes are counted on June 4, the BJP will have to be ready for major electoral reversal," he said, as stuck his neck out on the electoral outcome that awaits the ruling party Vidarbha region.
Dr Sanjeev Narkhade, an ENT specialist based in Khamgaon (Assembly segment that falls in Buldhana Lok Sabha constituency), said: "One of the factors that contributed to the drop in the polling percentage yesterday was the clash of the polling date with the marriages. Similarly, the summer heat with the temperatures rising up to 42 degrees C forced many voters not to venture out of their home to vote. The major contestants have had no connection with the people in Khamgaon where I live. As a result, there was not much enthusiasm to go out and vote".
In the eight Lok Sabha constituencies, the temperature that prevailed on Friday ranged from 40 degrees C to 44 degrees C which made it difficult for the voters to venture out of their homes and stand in queues to vote at any point of the day.
Dr Aniket Waikar, a professor in Parbhani-based agricultural university Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, said: "In general, the people are not very happy with what is going on in politics. As a result, many of the people were not even interested in going out to vote. Migration of local people to places like Nashik and Pune for jobs also contributed to the reduction in the polling percentage. In addition, the polling date clashed with the marriage dates of the people in this region".
Arvind Ambekar, a senior lawyer from Gangakhed town from Parbhani district, said: "People are thoroughly dissatisfied with the BJP governments in the state and at the Centre. Several of them chose to stay away from polling. Those who voted have gone against the ruling party".
On its part, the BJP - which is fighting in alliance with the Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NCP ( Ajit Pawar), is fighting to retain four of its seats ---Akola, Amravati, Wardha and Nanded.
Of the eight constituencies that went to polls, three constituencies -- Buldhana, Yavatmal-Washim and Hingoli - are witnessing a direct fight between the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which is taking on the Shiv Sena (UBT). This is the first major elections that the two Shiv Sena outfits are clashing against each other after the the Shiv Sena split that saw senior party leader Shinde rebel against Uddhav Thackeray, walk out of the party along with 40-odd MLAs team up with the Opposition BJP to form Government in Maharashtra in June 2022.
