Karnataka bypolls: Voter turnout will make or mar fortunes of parties, candidates

He explained that JDS’ supporters, especially in Old Mysore region, nurse an anger against the disqualified legislators who they hold responsible for the HD Kumaraswamy government’s to collapse.   
Police personnel on poll duty in Bengaluru | vinod kumar t
Police personnel on poll duty in Bengaluru | vinod kumar t

BENGALURU: After a high-voltage campaign for the crucial bypolls that will decide the fate of the BJP government and the Congress’ hopes of reviving its sagging fortunes, the big challenge before the parties now is to ensure good voter turnout on Thursday. In the 2018 Assembly polls, the state registered the highest-ever voter turnout at 72%. But as is wont, voter turnout in bypolls is usually less compared to the general elections, and that seem to be a cause of concern for the ruling BJP.

The party, which pitched its campaign around the “stable government” plank, has to win about seven seats to get the required numbers in the assembly. Sources said Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday spoke to a number of party leaders in the 15 Assembly segments and exhorted them to ensure that the party supporters come out and vote.  

“Ensuring high voter turnout is a big challenge for the BJP,” said political analyst BS Murthy. “If the voter turnout is low, the JDS is the safest among the three parties and the Congress will be better off compared to the BJP.”He explained that JDS’ supporters, especially in Old Mysore region, nurse an anger against the disqualified legislators who they hold responsible for the HD Kumaraswamy government’s to collapse.   

Challenge to get supporters to booths bigger for BJP than for Congress, JDS

Even if they come out in smaller numbers, they are bound to vote for JDS candidates. That is not the case with BJP and Congress supporters, and the challenge for the latter two is to get their supporters to the polling booths. However, in many constituencies, the contest is between Congress and BJP. The challenge to get its supporters to the booths is bigger for the BJP than the other two.

BJP leaders agree that low voter turnout is not good for the party, but are confident of its supporters coming out in good numbers and voting as that will decide the fate of the BJP government.The Congress too hopes for a high voter turnout. “There is lot of anger against the disqualified legislators and the people will come out to vote in big numbers, “ said Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Working president Eshwar Khandre. According to him, the party will win about 10 seats.

However, Murthy expects Thursday’s voter turnout to be way below 2018 general elections mark. Interestingly, four assembly segments in Bengaluru — Shivajinagar (54.1 percent), KR Puram (53.08 percent), Mahalaxmi Layout (54.7 percent) and Yeshwantpur (60.19 percent) — that witnessed low voter turnout — and Hoskote and Chikkaballapur which registered high voter turnout of 88 percent — will go to polls on Thursday.

With the elections turning out to be a litmus test for both Yediyurappa and Congress leader Siddaramaiah and also crucial for the disqualified legislators -- who are now contesting as the BJP candidates -- the parties and their supporters will hope and work for good voter turnout.Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjeev Kumar too said they expect a good voter turnout on Thursday as this bypoll is like a mini general election.

power struggle 
BJP needs to win at least 6 of the 15 seats to be in power
The party has fielded 13 of the 16 disqualified MLAs
Of the 15 seats, 12 were held by Congress and 3 JDS

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