Low turnout keeps parties on tenterhooks

Ramesh Pradhan, an Andheri west resident, received a wake-up call from the Shiv Sena workers at 7.30am on Thursday reminding him to cast his vote. An hour later, four enthusiastic Congress workers called him to exercise his rights. At 12.30pm, members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) walked into his sixth-floor apartment and asked him the same question: “Have you cast your vote today?”

In another instance, political workers watched helplessly when a group of 10 office-goers in a local train admitted that only two had cast their votes. The others were apologetic, admitting that they had to catch the 8am train to reach their Nariman Point office.

After spending a month aggressively campaigning for the BMC polls, activists across party lines became even more pro-active on election day by taking Mumbaikars to polling booths. Since the polling percentage is lower compared to Assembly and Lok Sabha elections (58 to 65 per cent on average), leaders had directed grassroot workers to cajole Mumbaikars to go to the booths. Despite their best efforts, about 50 per cent of residents did not vote, and this low turnout has parties worried.

NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal said, “I gave standing instructions to our workers not to be complacent on polling day. NCP leaders and workers were out in the field from early morning, appealing to people to cast their ballots.”

NCP general secretary Hemraj Shah said, “We cannot force people to vote. Over 30 per cent of minorities and Dalits voted on Thursday, which augers well for the NCP.”

Gurudas Kamat, chief of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC), who had set an ambitious target for his workers, was a bit disappointed. MRCC official Ajit Sawant said, “We had emphasised 100 per cent participation, but statistics state otherwise.

This should not be construed as a setback for the Congress or an advantage for the Shiv Sena.”  Usually, high turnout doesn’t augur well for incumbents but low turnout is supposed to help ruling parties (Shiv Sena-BJP alliance). But the multi-issue elections has made it difficult to hazard a guess. BJP’s Madhu Chavan said, “These elections are too close to call as there are too many undercurrents. The voter turnout patterns make no sense.”

But political observers maintained that in 1997 and 2002 when the Sena and BJP came to power, the polling percentage was 44 per cent and 42 per cent respectively.