In an irony of sorts, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which had come to power by winning 110 constituencies in 2008, has lost deposits in as many seats this time. After 2008 elections the BJP used Operation Kamala to add 10 more members to it.
According to Election Commission data, it was a total washout for the BJP in Yadgir, Mandya and Hassan districts. Interestingly, the party lost once again in 25 of the 31 constituencies in which it had lost deposits in 2008.
These constituencies are Shahapur, Gurmitkal, Aland, Sindanur, Kanakagiri, Haliyal, Madhugiri, Chikkaballapur, Sidlaghatta, Chintamani, Srinivaspura, Mulbagal, Kolar, Pulakeshinagar, Devanahalli, Kanakapura, Channapatna, Srirangapatna, Nelamangala, Sravanabelagola, Arsikere, Arkalgud, Holenarsipura, Krishnarajanagar and Hanur.
In terms of vote share, the party has secured less than five per cent of the total votes in all the 100 constituencies put together. In 57 constituencies, they have secured less than 5,000 votes.
A defeated candidate will forfeit deposit if he/she was polled less than one-sixth of the total valid votes polled in the constituency. Also, the then sitting MLAs from Dharwad (Seema Ashok Masuti), Gadag (Bidarur Shreeshailappa), Hadagalli (B Chandranaik) and Jamkhandi (Shrikant Kulkarni) lost deposits in the 2013 election.
This is the first time in 19 years that the BJP has lost deposits in such a large number since it started to do well in the state elections in 1994. In the last three elections, the BJP lost deposits in less than 25 per cent of the seats they contested. However, between 1983 and 1994 the BJP had lost deposits in 60-80 per cent of the seats they contested.
In Mysore, Mandya and Tumkur districts, the stronghold of JD(S), the BJP had maintained at least second or third place in 19 of the 29 seats without losing deposits in 2008. But this year, it had lost deposits in 23 of the 29 seats in these districts.
Psephologist Sandeep Shastry cites three main reason for the BJP’s terrible defeat: Infighting within the party, two major splits and visible sign of corruption.
In the pre-poll survey, the BJP had the highest level of rejection for a ruling party, he said adding: “It is for the first time in the history of our pre-poll survey since 1999, that we’ve had such a high level of rejection (60 per cent) for a ruling party (BJP). There has not been such a level of unhappiness with the ruling party ever before.” The BJP also lost deposits in the constituencies where the leaders, who were with the party earlier, had contested on KJP tickets. Just before the elections, many BJP MLAs left the party and joined hands with Yeddyurappa.
The JD(S), which is likely to sit in the Opposition, too lost its deposits in half of the seats they contested. They could not foray into Dakshina Kannada, Gadag and Haveri where they lost deposits in all the 18 constituencies.