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    Lok Sabha elections 2014: High voter turnout in western Uttar Pradesh hints polarisation

    Synopsis

    Election booths in western UP constituencies such as Bijnore, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat saw hectic voting right from early hours.

    ET Bureau
    BIJNORE/MUZAFFARNAGAR/BAGHPAT: While non-BJP parties on Thursday credited the high voter turnout in western Uttar Pradesh to growing political awareness among the electorate, the BJP and local political observers attributed it to Narendra Modi wave or polarisation of votes.

    Election booths in western UP constituencies such as Bijnore, Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat saw hectic voting right from early hours. At several polling stations, 45% votes had been polled before noon. By evening, the percentage crossed 60.

    Even the booth near village Kawal, the epicentre of the Muzaffarnagar riots that had been deserted by most of its Muslim families last September, was abuzz with men in skull caps and those in dhotis and Gandhian caps sharing the queue and chatting with each other.

    “There is excitement among voters,” said BSP’s Ravinder Gautam, who represents Muzaffarnagar in the state assembly. Gautam said the voters want to teach a lesson to both the BJP and the Samajwadi Party. Similar claims were made by local leaders of Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal in Baghpat.

    Image article boday
    Both the BSP and RLD denied that their vote base had been affected by the polarisation of voters on communal lines after the September 2013 riots in the region. Understandably, the BJP leaders do not agree. “The Modi factor has united a large section of voters among all caste and communities,” said Chandramohan, state party spokesperson.

    It was difficult to draw any response from the actual voter coming out of the poll booths. “Where did you cast your vote?” asked back a voter, in return of the question about his choice at the EVM, adding, “We voted for the same party as you did.”

    Local Muslim leaders helping voters to reach polling stations at these constituencies were more forthcoming and spoke of different choices—if it was cycle (Samajwadi Party’s electoral symbol) in Bijnore, it was BSP in Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat—lending credence to the assessment that the minority community would be voting tactically against Modi.

    “The most outstanding feature of this election is the emergence of Modi as an iconic leader, aided by the media and ad blitz,” said Sompal Shastri, former MP from Baghpat and a keen observer of the region.

    “In terms of western UP, the polarisation of votes have been very severe, further benefiting the BJP,” Shashtri added.


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