AAP in fray, a 2017 detail: NOTA 3rd in 115 seats in Gujarat, 12 in Himachal

In Gujarat, NOTA’s overall vote share was third-highest (1.84 %), after the BJP (49.05%) and the Congress (41.44%). The Independents, 3 of whom won out of the 794 who contested, were the only group that scored higher than the NOTA group.

Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, Gujarat Assembly elections, NOTA, NOTA votes, AAP, BJP, Congress, Indian Express, India news, current affairs

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal addresses during the launch of the mission Make India No. 1, at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022. (Express photo by Amit Mehra)

THE NOTA (None of the Above) option on the EVM machine stood third across 115 of the 182 seats in Gujarat and 12 of the 68 seats in Himachal Pradesh in the 2017 polls. The trend becomes significant in view of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s attempts to make inroads in both the states, which have traditionally seen a bipolar contest.

About 5.51 lakh voters, or 1.84%, out of the 3 crore voters in Gujarat, chose NOTA. In Himachal, 34,232 voters, or 0.90%, of the 37.84 lakh voters did so.

In Gujarat, NOTA’s overall vote share was third-highest (1.84 %), after the BJP (49.05%) and the Congress (41.44%). The Independents, 3 of whom won out of the 794 who contested, were the only group that scored higher than the NOTA group.

In the Himachal polls that year, NOTA’s vote share was the fourth highest (0.90%), after the BJP (48.79%), Congress (41.68%) and CPI(M) (1.47%).

Harikishan Sharma

Harikishan Sharma, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express' National Bureau, specializes in reporting on governance, policy, and data. He covers the Prime Minister’s Office and pivotal central ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Jal Shakti. His work primarily revolves around reporting and policy analysis. In addition to this, he authors a weekly column titled "STATE-ISTICALLY SPEAKING," which is prominently featured on The Indian Express website. In this column, he immerses readers in narratives deeply rooted in socio-economic, political, and electoral data, providing insightful perspectives on these critical aspects of governance and society. ... Read More

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