2018 results suggest women voters may decide Lok Sabha poll fate

BHOPAL

: Women voting pattern during elections has always remained a mystery for political parties.

Indicating this trend, there were at least seven constituencies in Madya Pradesh during the 2018 assembly polls, where voting percentage of women sawa hike of over 10% compared to the past elections — and in six of these seats, the sitting MLAs lost.

On the contrary, there were 11 constituencies where women voter participation declined in comparison to previous elections, and in 10 of these seats, the sitting MLA was reelected. The highest increase in women

voter turnout

— of 13.61% — in the 2018 polls was reported in Anuppur constituency. Here the sitting BJP MLA lost to the Congress candidate.

This, was followed by Sardarpur constituency (13.53% increase), Gandhwani (12.1%), Bhander (11.85%), Gunnour (10.65%), Udaipura (10.17%), and Raigaon (10.12%) constituencies. Results showed that barring Gandhwani constituency the sitting MLA lost in all others. The 11 assembly constituencies were Govindpura, Balaghat, Jabalpur East, Sohagpur, Katangi, Indore-4, Indore-2,

Lahar

, Mungaoli and Ujjain North — where the women voter turnout fell in comparison to 2013 polls.

There were 73 constituences which saw a 5% or more increase in women voter participation in the 2018 polls. In 43 of these constituencies, the sitting MLA lost — transalating to a 58.9% chance.

Tshe increase in women voter’s turnout in these 73 constituencies benefitted the Congress party. In 2013, Congress had won only 12 seats and BJP 56 seats, but in 2018 the elections Congress won 39 seats and BJP just 33 seats in the same areas.

There are 2.46 crore women voters in the statewho hold the key to 29 parliamentary seats going to polls. This time too the behaviour of women voter is likely to decide the fate of parties, say experts.

Sources said that both Congress and BJP are trying to reach out and woo the women voters by launching campaigns and using their women wings.