Independents, smaller parties polled 23% to BJP’s 26%

MUMBAI: Smaller parties and independents polled 23% of the votes in the Maharashtra assembly election, almost as high as the vote share of BJP, which secured 25.7% of votes.


This is a steep jump from 2014, when smaller parties and independents secured 14% of votes, according to the election commission. A reason for the surge is the rise in the number of independents, on account of the rebels entering the fray against the

saffron

combine. BJP’s strategy of inducting defectors from Congress and NCP had triggered rebellions from ticket-seekers within the saffron combine. Over 50 rebels had entered the electoral

battle

against the saffron parties, cutting into their vote.

In 2014, seven Independents won the polls. This election, the figure almost doubled to 13. Of these, five were rebel candidates. The search for alternatives beyond the four major parties also seems to have drawn voters to smaller parties, says political analyst Abhay Deshpande.


The smaller parties in the state that won seats include

Hitendra Thakur

’s Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (3) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) (2).