The low polling percentage in the first phase of the urban local bodies elections has baffled the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership as they see it as an indicator of disconnect between candidates and the voters.
In a meeting held at the party office here, the senior leadership asked the party workers, lawmakers – both MPs and MLAs –and party office-bearers to ensure that people in large numbers used their right of franchise in the second phase of polling slated on May 11.
The voting pattern in the first phase went as per the predictable pattern. People in cities stayed indoors while the rural areas reported heavy polling. Take the case of Lucknow, 39.67 per cent voter turnout was recorded in areas under Lucknow Municipal Corporation while the nagar panchayat elections recorded 64 per cent polling.
“This pattern is more or less reflected in all the 37 districts that went to polls in the first phase on May 4. This is a matter of concern for the BJP. Therefore, the meeting was called to ensure an increase in footfall in favour of BJP in the next phase of elections,” a senior BJP leader said.
The BJP leader also said that low voting percentage in municipal ward elections showed a lack of connection between the candidate and voters. “The small elections have personal influence too. That people have not come to cast their votes shows that the budding politicians who contest civic elections have failed to connect with voters,” the leader said.
Some leaders have also voiced concern over the schedule of the elections. “The elections should never be clubbed with holidays like Sunday or festival because when there are more than one holiday people opt to go out of station to enjoy instead of performing their democratic duty of casting vote,” the leader said.
The first phase of election was held on May 4 and next day was Buddha Purnima – a holiday. This was followed by Saturday and Sunday. “Thus, it made a four-day holiday and this should be avoided,” he said.