PM Modi said this could politically benefit the BJP but stressed that democracy could be better served if more people turnout to vote.
Lok Sabha Election 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asserted that “poor campaigning” by the Congress and its INDIA bloc allies could be a possible reason for low voter turnout in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, and claimed that even the workers of parties in the opposition alliance were not coming out to vote for them which could mean a political benefit for the BJP.
In an interview with news agency PTI, Modi asserted that the INDIA bloc does not believe it has any chance (in the elections) and claimed that neither its leaders nor its cadre are not on the ground.
‘INDIA bloc leaders, cadre not making any effort’
The PM claimed that even non-partisan poll observers are saying the Congress and INDIA alliance are not making any significant effort to campaign on the ground.
“In the face of a track record of progress of 10 years, they have no case to make in front of the people and they have already given up,” the Prime Minister asserted.
“There is no leader or cadre on the ground for them. So, it seems like even the party workers of the Congress and INDI alliance are not turning out to vote for them, let alone their traditional vote base. This could be one reason,” he claimed.
Modi said this could politically benefit the BJP but stressed that democracy could be better served if more people turnout to vote.
“If this is the thing that has happened, then it may politically benefit the BJP, but I do think that our democracy would be served even better if all parties put in the hard work to build a pro-development agenda and motivated voters to vote in greater numbers,” Modi said.
PM Modi said the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are leaving no stone unturned in reaching out to the people and asking for votes for development and progress.
Slightly lower voter turnout
According to the Election Commission, the voter turnout in the fourth phase stood at 69.16 per cent, 3.65 percentage points higher than the corresponding phase in the 2019 parliamentary elections.
The updated voter turnout figures for the third phase of polling in the Lok Sabha elections was 65.68 per cent. In the third phase of the 2019 elections, the turnout was 68.4 per cent.
In the second phase of the 2024 elections, the turnout was recorded at 66.71 per cent as against the 69.64 per cent in the second phase of the 2019 polls.
In the first phase of the ongoing general elections on April 19, a 66.14 per cent turnout was recorded. In the 2019 polls, the turnout in the first phase was 69.43 per cent.
The poll panel said the final turnout will only be available post-counting, with the counting of postal ballots and its addition to the total vote count.
(With PTI inputs)