Lucknow: In Uttar Pradesh, people’s inclination towards voting has been fluctuating. There has been very good voting in the last two Lok Sabha elections. In the elections that started after independence, the voting percentage increased from 38.41 percent to a record 59.20 percent last time. This is a good sign, but ‘NOTA’ has definitely increased the tension of political parties and leaders.
This option was given in EVM in 2014. Even then people pressed NOTA in large numbers. This increased further in 2019. The election results of many seats surprised when NOTA prevailed over many candidates of political parties. At many places, NOTA stood at third and fourth position. This also became the reason for victory and defeat on some seats.
There are many seats in UP, where NOTA stood third and fourth in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Maximum 21,119 people pressed NOTA in Robertsganj. After that, 19,250 voters in Banda, 14,759 in Kaushambi, 14,093 in Bansgaon, 17,108 in Shravasti, 9675 in Ballia, 9771 in Sultanpur used NOTA.
Out of this, NOTA stood third in Kaushambi and Bansgaon. NOTA remained at fourth position on the remaining seats.
More than the difference of win-loss here
There are two seats where NOTA was considered the reason for victory and defeat in 2019. These seats are Fish City and Shravasti. In Fish City, BJP’s VP Saroj defeated BSP’s T Ram. The difference between victory and defeat of both was only 181 votes. 10,830 voters had pressed the NOTA button on this seat. Here NOTA remained at number four. In Shravasti, BSP’s Ram Shiromani Verma defeated BJP’s Daddan Mishra by a margin of 5,320 votes. Here 17,108 people used NOTA.
Political scientist Prof. SK Dwivedi said that the use of NOTA is a proof of voter awareness. All parties field candidates on the basis of caste, religion and influence of the candidate. When a voter does not like a candidate, he is forced to choose NOTA. Political parties should also think about this. If they don’t, then reform requires voters to use more NOTA. If NOTA gets maximum votes somewhere then political parties will be forced to think.
