Women emerge as independent ‘vote bank’ with stress on governance

New Delhi, May 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) Assembly polls results of four key states and a Union Territory that came out on Sunday shows that women are emerging as an independent "vote bank" in the country and now play a decisive role in deciding electoral fortune of political parties, say analysts.

In the last 10 years, women's voting percentage has increased and crossed male voter turnout in recent elections. CVoter founder Yashwant Deshmukh told IANS that earlier women voter turnout used to be at least 10 per cent less than the male voter turnout but in the last 10 years, it has increased.

"In last ten years, women voter turnout is at par with male voter turnout or in many polls, their turnout is more," he said.

Deshmukh contended that governance is the most important poll issue for the women voters and they are least bothered by other political agenda of any political parties.

"Polarisation on the name of religion or caste does not affect the decision of women voters. They only vote for governance and development and it is visible in recent polls in the last few years," he said.

Women voters not only outnumber male voters in exercising their franchise but also have independent preference. Their preference has ensured the return of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre in 2019, and Nitish Kumar's return in Bihar in 2020.

Only due to their independent choice, did not only Mamta Banerjee return to power in West Bengal for her third term but also ensured return of the BJP and the LDF for a second term in Assam and Kerala, respectively. In Tamil Nadu, women also played a crucial role in return of the DMK to power as they drifted away from the AIADMK after demise of its supremo and Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha, he said.

"Prime Minister Modi's women specific welfare schemes like Ujjwala Yojana, which gave free gas cylinders, financial help to build toilets in every home and other welfare schemes ensured women's vote to BJP in the last Lok Sabha polls. Women voters also ensured return of Nitish Kumar government in Bihar... as they are voting independently on issues concerning them," Deshmukh said.

He emphasised that IANS-CVoter polls for the last many years shows women voters in West Bengal played a key role in success of Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress.

Pointing toward the voting pattern of women voters, Deshmukh said: "Women voters have arrived and they will make and break the electoral fortune of any leader of a political party."

Source: IANS