Increased voting percentage indicates Anti-incumbency?

The election officials have announced that the voting percentage this year has been recorded as 79.64%, which is slightly higher than the previous polling percentage of 78.41%. If there were no issues with the EVMs, the polling would have been gone up to 82%, the analysts opine.

So, as it is clearly evident that the voting percentage has been increased, a few opine that the people are unhappy with the present government and is keen to invite a new one. In that case, the obvious choice would be YSRCP and so even the Jagan’s party members have celebrated even before the announcement of the results.

Many opined it as anti-incumbency, but there are few facts that should be considered before taking it as granted. When compared to 2004 polling, the percentage was increased by 2%-3% in 2009. At that time, everyone felt that Mahakutami would form the government, but much to the shock, YS Rajashekar Reddy led Congress party has retained the government.

In the same way, 2-3% hike in the voting percentage has also been witnessed in the recent Telangana assembly elections, when compared to the 2014 elections. But the result has not been changed and TRS formed the government again.

So, it should be noted that the increase in the voting percentage, doesn’t always mean the  anti-incumbency. There might be several other reasons like the awareness of voting among the public, new voters etc. Coming to AP, along with the above, even the entry of Janasena, has shown a considerable impact among the voters to turn out to the polling stations in large numbers.

Meanwhile, the TDP backed media is showing the surveys that Chandrababu Naidu’s government will be formed again, the Jagan’s media is obviously on YSRCP’s side, opining that it would form the government in Andhra Pradesh, winning the maximum number of Assembly and Lok Sabha seats.