Over 16,000 votes invalid in Nagpur graduates' poll; circled '2' ruled out about 9,500 for Kohle

The figures that emerged after counting in the Nagpur division graduates' constituency election have surprised everyone. More than 16,000 votes on the seat were declared invalid. Political observers and ordinary people alike are asking how so many votes were wasted in a constituency of educated voters.

Most of the discussion centres on the circled "2". It is said that on many ballot papers, the preference number 2 was written against the name of BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohle and a circle was drawn around it. Under election rules, ballot papers on which the preference number is written inside a circle are treated as invalid, and they were declared void.

Kohle had raised strong objections to the decision, but such ballot papers were decided under the election rules. Because of this one practice, about 9,500 ballot papers recorded against Kohle's name became invalid. Some ballot papers were also found against the name of Congress candidate Abhijit Wanjari on which the preference number 5 was written inside a circle.

In political circles it is being said that the practice of writing 2 and circling it hurt the BJP itself. There was initial confidence that the BJP candidate would win on first-preference votes alone. The question now being asked is where this odd practice of writing 2 and circling it came from, and who spread it.

It is said that the practice upset the arithmetic of the BJP's votes and unwittingly worked in the Congress's favour. A quip has gone around in political circles on this account: "2 ka gola, Congress ke liye bana Hajmola." There has, however, been no independent confirmation of these claims and talk.

The controversy in this Nagpur election is not limited to the circled 2. Amid the stir over the SIR of electoral rolls across the country, the issue of about 8,400 alleged duplicate voters in Nagpur has also heated up. On top of that, more than 16,000 invalid votes on a graduates' seat is being seen as a big surprise. Where voters are considered educated and aware, the rejection of so many votes raises questions about the whole voting process. The largest loss from the large number of invalid votes is believed to have fallen on Kohle.

Infighting within the BJP has also come to the fore. A particular section of the party was deeply unhappy with the process of choosing the candidate. Workers and leaders are asking why the same leader is given a chance again and again. This resentment within the party was also openly visible over the candidature of Prof. Sole.

In all, more than 16,000 invalid votes, a circled 2 that cost about 9,500 votes, and the party's internal factionalism together upset BJP candidate Sudhakar Kohle's electoral arithmetic.