Modi's Party BJP battles low voter turnout
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing challenges as voter turnout declines in the initial phases of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. Concerned by this trend, the party leadership has urged state units to step up efforts to engage voters and encourage higher participation.
While asserting that there is no significant anti-incumbency sentiment and Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains a popular figure, the BJP is apprehensive that a decrease in voter turnout might hinder its goal of securing over 400 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha and achieving a 50% vote share.
Chief ministers of BJP-governed states have been instructed to maintain proactive engagement and ensure the presence of booth workers on the ground, prioritizing direct outreach over social media campaigns. However, the party's youth wing, Yuva Morcha, has expressed concerns that the slogan 'Aaye ga to Modi hi' (Modi will come back) could inadvertently discourage voters by implying a predetermined outcome.
Meanwhile, allegations of sexual harassment against Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) leaders Prajwal Revanna and his father HD Revanna in Karnataka have created a predicament for the BJP, which is in alliance with JD(S). These allegations have overshadowed the BJP's campaign efforts in the state. While the Congress government in Karnataka has initiated a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the allegations, BJP leaders in the state have maintained silence on the matter.
The complainant has accused HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna of sexually assaulting female workers, and several obscene videos allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna have surfaced. Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, has left the country since the establishment of the SIT, vehemently denying the authenticity of the videos and alleging they are part of a smear campaign against him.
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