AMRITSAR: It’s not just Amritsar East assembly constituency from where heavyweights Navjot Singh Sidhu and Bikram Singh Majithia were contesting elections registered the low voter's turnout but Amritsar West and Amritsar Central assembly constituencies recorded lowest polling percentage which has raised the concerns of election stakeholders.
According to official figures, Amritsar East registered 64% polling while Amritsar West (reserved) constituency recorded the lowest 55.1% followed by Amritsar Central and Amritsar South where polling was 58.76% and 59.3% respectively.
Candidates with strongman's image and their political rivalry, deep-rooted issues of the constituencies, coupled with the lackadaisical attitude of the current and former MLA’s have collectively resulted in plummeting the voter's turnout who preferred to stay indoors with "sanu ki lena dena"(what do we have to do) approach over going to polling booths and come to the sight of rival candidates workers or party activists.
But at the same time, low voters turnout doesn’t mean that people are not interested in politics or they have lost their interest in the democratic process but contrary to it citizen activism was seen at its best with people, irrespective of political affiliations, gossiping in groups, expatiating their views on politics to mainstream and social media but were tightlipped on not going to vote.
While stating that lower polling percentage was not in favour of democracy but the highly dangerous trend, political analyst Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina said "It’s very difficult to make an assessment of low turnout of voters since it was a four-cornered contest and voters were highly confused but silent voters were much active this time".
Giving an example of Amritsar South assembly constituency, Chhina observed that the majority of electorates belonged to Swarnkar, Ramgharia, and Kamboh Sikhs where as all the three candidates of national parties including Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar, AAP, Talbir Singh Gill, SAD(B) and Inderbir Singh Bolaria (Congress) were Jat Sikhs while Harjinder Singh Thekedar of Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) had the support of Swarankar and Ramgharia’s. "This can be one factor besides several others", said he.
However, Chhina observed that this time BJP could spring surprise and altogether alter Punjab's politics.
Cabinet Minister Raj Kumar Verka and deputy chief minister O P Soni contested from Amritsar West and Amritsar Central constituencies which were polled only 55.1% and 58.76% respectively.
Political observers who were earlier expecting the lowest voters turnout in the Amritsar East assembly constituency were themselves surprised to see the emerging new but surprising trend among voters to ignore all the candidates and political parties.
Thekedar of PLC is of view that leaders of many political parties played a ‘mind game’ by putting up a large number of hoardings of their respective parties which pressurized the voters who chose to stay indoors.
Given the high stake and multi-cornered political battle, a political observer Rajinder Singh Sandhu said “Low turnout of voters indicates at their apathy towards the current political system and the political leaders, besides, it was not a two-party contest but a multi party contest which didn’t increase the desire among voters to vote but instead confused them”.
Sandhu said that too many options left the voters undecisive besides the rumours making rounds that BJP was indirectly helping SAD(B) candidates in these constituencies resulting in low voters turnout. Eom
