The Hindu : `Abstention level may go up in coming polls'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 29, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

`Abstention level may go up in coming polls'

By Our Special Correspondent

DHARWAD, MARCH 28. P.S. Jayaram, Chairman of the Department of Political Science, Bangalore University, feels that there may be an increase in the number of people who do not exercise their franchise in the coming elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assembly in the State.

Prof. Jayaram, who has undertaken a study on the dynamics of elections in Karnataka, told The Hindu here that one-third of the voters in the State did not exercise their franchise mainly as an expression of resentment. The number of such persons might increase. They seemed not to be happy with the policies and performances of the political parties or the candidates.

Prof. Jayaram said that this tendency started manifesting among the voters of late. They had started thinking in terms of the benefits their region had received from the party in power. For instance, while the people of Bangalore might not have any complaint against the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, this could not be said in other parts of the State, including North Karnataka where many problems had to be resolved, he added.

G.B. Nandan, Reader, Department of Political Science, Karnatak University, said the Madiga community among the Scheduled Castes would play a decisive role in the coming elections and it would be felt more in the reserved constituencies. The groups working for the cause of the Madiga community were unhappy with the Congress Government. A.T. Kittur, Professor of Political Science and Public Administration, Karnatak University, said the Reddy community had been supporting the Congress and there was no reason for it to go for a change this time.

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