Raj: Low voter turnout continues in 2nd phase

JAIPUR/ BARMER: After a major decline in the first phase, the dip in voter turnout prevailed in the second phase of the general election as well on Friday.

Despite all the efforts by the political parties and the government to improve the polling percentage, the 13 constituencies of the state that polled on Friday recorded only a 65.52% turnout, nearly 3% down from the 2019 figure of 68.17%. In the first phase, too, Rajasthan recorded a significant 6% dip in the turnout when remaining 12 constituencies went to polls on April 19.

During the 18th general elections, the desert state recorded 62.10% turnout — a nearly 2% dip from polling in the 2019 elections when the state had a 63.72% turnout across the 25 parliamentary constituencies.

According to the data shared by the state election department, only four constituencies across the state have recorded an increase in turnout in both phases. The maximum increase of 4.33% was seen in Jalore-Sirohi (62.89%) followed by 2.8% in Barmer (75.93%), 1.41% in KotaBundi (71.26%), and 1.1% in Banswara-Dungarpur (73.88%). All the four constituencies went to polls in the second phase.

However, the maximum decline was recorded in all the seats during the first phase. A sharp 9.14% decline was noticed in Jhunjhunu (52.98%) followed by 8.51% in Ganganagar (66.25%), and 8.02% in Jaipur Rural (57.52%).

The prevailing low turnout across the maximum constituencies became a worry point for both Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

An analysis of the polling trend in the last five terms since 2004 showed that the increasing turnout has always ensured the maximum seats for the BJP in Rajasthan while the Congress managed to win the maximum 20 seats only once in 2009 when the turnout dipped by 1.31% from 2004. The turnout also dipped by more than 5% in around 35 assembly constituencies held by BJP in the state which won 115 seats in the last state poll in December. The same decline was noticed in 8 constituencies of Congress including Jodhpur’s Sardarpura which is served by the former chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

Political analysts believe that such a massive decline is always challenging for the BJP as “they are a larger and stronger organisation compared to Congress”.

The veteran journalist Narayan Bareth said, “Since independence, it has been a trend not only in Rajasthan but in the entire country that the declining turnout rates go in Congress’s favour. As the BJP is a larger and stronger organisation compared to Congress, they are always more capable of bringing more voters in the booth. Yesterday’s low turnout is clearly their failure to bring their supporters.”

However, the BJP leaders said they will score victory in all the 25 seats in the state for the consecutive third time.

BJP’s Barmer candidate Kailash Chaudhary said, “The bigger turnout in Barmer and Banswara despite the low rate across the state are evidence of PM Modi’s popularity.”