There are only five per cent first-time voters in Madhya Pradesh during the Assembly elections scheduled on November 25. They would play an important role, but not likely to be decisive.
As per the latest data provided on Monday by the Election Commission of India (ECI) the number of voters from the age group of 18-19 years is 2,35,0561 whereas the total electorate of the State is 4,65,01,623, as on date. Hence, as per the latest figures the percentage of the first time voters in the State comes to 5.05 per cent.
But the political parties that are eagerly out to attract the new electorate to their fold and making all out efforts including promises in their respective manifestos to lure ‘Youngistan’ need not to worry, as the per cent of young voters from the age group of 20 to 29 is whopping 1,40,88,393 of the total electorate of the State amounting to 30.29 per cent as on date. Though the figure of first time voters from this age group is not sorted out by the ECI but is considered that it could be more or less around 5 per cent.
Hence, if put together the first time voters of 18-19 years of age and 20-29 years of age group the per cent goes above one third of the total electorate as the combined percentage of 18 to 29 years age group voters reaches to 35.35 per cent.
The total electorate of the age group from 18 to 29 comes to hefty 1,64,38,864, and the political parties are trying to target and reach out this clubbed Youngistan.
Notably, much hype is created over the first-time voters in the State and speculations were that the per cent of these voters is one-third of the total electorate of the State, but the fact is that there are only 5 per cent first-time voters in the State.
Going by the reports that there would be high per cent of first-time voters in the run for the 2013 Assembly polls in the State, the political parties also started working on ways to attract them towards their party fold.