Saurashtra low, south Gujarat on a high

Ahmedabad: Continuing a decade long trend, Saurashtra region has yet again acquired the disappointing distinction of recording the lowest voter turnout among the four regions of Gujarat. Like in the past two general elections, South Gujarat continues to clock the highest polling percentage among the regions of the state.
The seven seats of Saurashtra region recorded a voter turnout of 42.55 % in 2009, 57.87 % in 2014 and 59.05 % in the 2019 general election, the lowest among the regions. In contrast, the five Lok Sabha seats of South Gujarat registered the highest voting percentage in the past three general elections with 52.44 % in 2009, 70.50 % in 2014 and 70.42 % in 2019.
Lower voting in Saurashtra had fuelled speculation that farmer distress, which was reflected in the 2017 Gujarat assembly election, has continued in the 2019 Lok Sabha election as well.
In the 2017 assembly elections, the BJP could win only 23 of the total 54 seats of Kutch and Saurashtra region. In the 2012 and 2007 assembly elections, the BJP won 35 and 48 seats respectively from the region. It remains to be seen if lower voting trend in Saurashtra continues to favour the BJP or whether people have voted for change.
South Gujarat region has for the past three general elections - 2009, 2014 and 2019 - voted more than six per cent above the state average, while Saurashtra region has voted between two to five percent below the state average in the 2009, 2014 and 2019 general elections.
“BJP has ignored Saurashtra region for long and that is showing in the lack of enthusiasm among voters. Migration is also another reason for this trend. The Congress gained several seats in the 2017 assembly elections because Saurashtra voters are fed up with the BJP. Unlike Saurashtra, the tribal dominated South Gujarat voters actively participate in all elections,” state Congress president Amit Chavda said.
Cabinet Minister and BJP leader Kunvarji Bavaliya says that lack of awareness among people that voter slips will not be a valid document for voting is one of the main reasons for lower turnout in Saurashtra. “This was not widely publicised and that is one of the reason for the low turnout. In addition, higher temperatures in Saurashtra region also kept voters away from polling booths,” he said.