Andhra Pradesh: Marginal increase in polling puts parties on tenterhooks

Leaders of both the parties claim that the increased polling percentage will favour them.
Image for representational purpose. | (File | PTI)
Image for representational purpose. | (File | PTI)

VIJAYAWADA: Marginal increase of 1.23 per cent in polling in the April 11 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections compared to the 2014 general elections put the two main political parties — the TDP and YSRC — on tenterhooks. As against 78.41 per cent polling in 2014, the voting percentage stood at 79.64 per cent this time. 

Leaders of both parties claim that the increased polling percentage will favour them. While the YSRC leaders argue that increase in poll percentage is an indication of anti-incumbency, the TDP describes it as a positive vote in favour of the ruling party for implementing various welfare and development programmes.

Though the Election Commission officials, at one point of time on the polling day, expected that polling percentage may cross 80 per cent and some of the political leaders too predicted that it may also cross 85 per cent as the polling was continued even after midnight at some polling stations, it was recorded below 80 per cent.

Except in Visakhapatnam and West Godavari districts, the voter turnout increased in all the remaining 11 districts this time around. Like in 2014, Prakasam district retained its top position with the highest polling percentage of 85.93 (83.55 in 2014), marking a 2.38 per cent increase, while Visakhapatnam with 71.81 per cent stood at the bottom.

In the case of Assembly constituencies, Addanki in Prakasam district occupied the top slot with 89.82 per cent polling and Visakhapatnam West constituency is at the bottom with 58.19%. Polling percentage for the 25 parliamentary constituencies this time stood at 79.64, 1.23% more than 78.40% recorded in 2014.

While Narasaraopet Parliamentary constituency, with 85.53 per cent voting stood at the top, the lowest turnout was recorded in Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat (67.26%).  Of the total 3,93,45,717 voters, 3,13,33,163 cast their votes for the 319 LS candidates and 3,13,33,631 for the 2,118 assembly contestants.
 

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