Vijayawada: Issues mattered most, not religion or caste

Vijayawada : Socio-economic factors seem to have influenced the voters a lot in the just-concluded polling for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Cutting across caste and religion, issues that mattered most with the voters are exorbitant power bills, garbage tax (some are paying twice, one for their house and another for their shop though it does not generate any garbage).

Similarly, no price control mechanism of groceries, rice and other essential commodities in the state. Good quality rice that was available for Rs 55 has now shot up to Rs 75 per kg, high prices of diesel and petrol, lack of work for daily wage workers in the unorganised sector, slump in construction activities leading to loss of jobs for daily labour were some of the issues that mattered most.

With more than 81 per cent voting registered in the state in the Assembly elections held on May 13, the political parties and the contestants are busy assessing the voting pattern and the winning prospects.

There is a common perception that caste equations play vital role in the elections but the opposition in particular feels that these issues had led to anti-incumbency factor and that would be to their advantage while the ruling party feels that it was the pressing of button by the Chief Minister which drove women in large numbers.

Another theory in politics is that some sections of the society vote for a particular candidate or political party in a large numbers. But if the mood of the voters is of any indication, this theory does not seem to have worked.

It is a fact that the construction sector was badly affected for the past few years due to the Covid and later due to the sand policy of the government which led to hike in prices of house sites and increased cost of cement, building material, iron, bricks, sanitary ware, PVC pipes, paints, etc.,

In this election, construction workers seem to have exercised their franchise in large numbers. Here too speculation is rife as to whom did they vote for. While the voters were silent before the polls and are silent after the polls as well due to fear of attacks by political parties, it is clear that issues mattered most than money.