Bastar defies boycott call by Naxals, heat; voter turnout increases to 68%

With a blazing sun beaming down and threats of Maoists still hanging heavy in the air, people in far-off Bastar would have easily stayed indoors on the polling day.

But they didn’t.

Just two days after a fierce encounter between a group of outlawed CPI(Maoists) and security personnel left 29 Naxals dead, the region witnessed 68% voter turnout, up from 2019’s 66.04 per cent.

Of the 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in Chhattisgarh, Bastar was the lone segment which voted in the first phase of general elections due to security concerns. Remaining 10 segments will vote in the second and third phases.

The Election Commission had set up 1,961 polling booths across Bastar. Of them, 196 were tagged as critical and sensitive. Over two dozen booths were located in the rebels’ den and the polling parties had to be airlifted in special Air Force choppers.

According to commission officials, all the polling parties from the interior areas returned to the headquarters by Saturday night. No one was allowed to stay overnight there.

A few polling parties were asked to stay in the nearby police station or the camp of security forces.

After compiling the figures, the commission declared that 68.30 per cent voters exercised their franchise, notwithstanding the scorching 42 degrees temperature and the election boycott call given by the Naxals.

The polling percentage is 2.26 per cent higher than the votes cast in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

All the eight assembly segments under Bastar Lok Sabha constituency registered an increase in the turnout compared to previous general elections. The polling per cent in the worst Maoist-affected Bijapur, Dantewada and Konta assembly constituencies went up by 1.20 per cent, 10.30 per cent and 7.21 per cent respectively.

The high percentage of polling in the Maoist pocket has kicked off debate as to which party will get the dividend. Though there are 11 candidates in the fray, the constituency is going to see a bipolar contest between BJP’s Mahesh Kashyap and Congress’ Kawasi Lakhma, the former industry minister of Chhattisgarh.

Interestingly, the fate of BJP’s state president Kiran Deo and his Congress counterpart Deepak Baij are also at stake as both come from Bastar.

Both BJP and Congress have been trying to impress women voters.

While ruling BJP has already started the scheme providing Rs 1000 per month to married women, Congress has announced to pay Rs 1 lakh per annum. It will be women voters in Bastar who will decide the electoral fate of any candidate.

For, the constituency has more women voters than men. Of the 14,72,207 voters, 7,71,679 are women, 7,00,476 are men and 52 members are third gender.