There was an unprecedented uptick in voting observed in western Maharashtra at the end of polling on Wednesday, when Kolhapur district reported the highest percentage of voting in the entire state, Karvir constituency in this district reported the highest voting percentage—84.7.
In most parts of the state, the voting percentage was reported to be higher than in the last assembly election, giving rise to speculation about which alliance will benefit from this increased voting. Other areas with high voting rates in Kolhapur district were: Radhanagari – 78.2 per cent; Kagal – 8.17 per cent and Kolhapur south — 7.48 per cent.
Such high voting has never been witnessed in Kolhapur before. Expert opinions are now divided about this new phenomenon. Does it mean that the government s direct benefit transfer schemes have made women and farmers come out in large numbers to vote, or does it mean that the anger among farmers has made them come out and vote against the government in large numbers? Addressing this trend, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “We have always experienced that higher voting benefits the BJP.
We think that this is a good sign for the Mahayut alliance and we are sure that we will be forming the next government.” Traditionally, increased voter turnout has always been seen as an indication of anti-incumbency. However, in the recent past, In two states — Gujarat and West Bengal = increased voring resulted in a pro-incumbent mandate: Addressing this issue, the national spokesperson of the NCP Sharad Pawar faction, .sh Gawande, said, “We are sure that the people of Maharashtra are going to bring us back to power.
We are confident that the voters who turned up late in the day, came out to back the Maha Vikas Aghadi because they have suffered in the past few years and they want change.” Kolhapur is not the only district where there has been a high amount of voting.
In Gadchiroli, Hingoli and Chandrapur districts in Vidarbha also, higher voting percentages have been recorded this time, as compared to the 2019 assembly elections.
However, it is also true that underdeveloped regions such as Vidarbha and Marathwada have traditionally seen higher voter turnouts. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, there was 71 per cent voting in Beed district and the BJP lost the seat due to the Maratha quota agitation.
The latter is indeed one of the two burning issues, with the distress in the agriculture sector being the other. These factors are majorly operative in Vidarbha and Marathwada.
Some BJP leaders have claimed that the higher voting percentages are because beneficiaries of the Ladki Bahin Yojana came out in large numbers for voting; Maha Vikas Aghadi leader Sanjay Raut said this was a sign of anti-incumbency in the state. Which of these versions is correct? EVMs will officially spill the beans on Saturday.
