The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are disappointed with the low turnout in almost all the 10 municipal corporations that voted on Thursday. That’s because with a low turnout, the results of the elections are likely to be the same as last time. Which means the Congress-NCP alliance and Sena-BJP combine are expected to retain their existing corporations.
The overall percentage of voter turnout, as per the primary estimate, is 54%, as compared to the 2007 turnout of 54.87%. The turnout in Mumbai dipped even further to 46% from 46.05% in the last election. In Thane, it dipped further to 52% from 56.66% in 2007. In Akola, where the Congress is in the power, the decline in turnout was a considerable 5%.
The Congress and NCP hold sway in six corporations — Akola, Solapur, Nagpur, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune and Amaravati, while the Sena-BJP combine rules in Mumbai, Thane, Ulhasnagar and Nashik. In Solapur, where the Congress had succeeded in forming power on its own earlier, will need the NCP’s support this time, according to estimates.
The low turnout has been attributed to apathy and disapproval on the part of the voters when it comes to politicians irrespective of their party. “The Anna andolan and awareness drives by various organisations have failed to erase voter apathy. This clearly shows that changes in rule cannot be expected in the municipal corporations here unlike in Manipur, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh where the turnout has increased drastically,” said Prakash Bal, senior journalist and political analyst.
However, another analyst, Hemant Desai claimed that the Anna campaign has impacted the minds of would-be voters negatively. “Anna has openly expressed his discontent with politicians and their corruption. Voters are not ready to trust any politician from any party.I think the ruling parties in the corporations will succeed in retaining their power,” he added.
A state Congress leader admitted that the turnout was disappointing for them and their assessment on voter turnout has failed.
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