Understanding Urban–Rural Patterns of BJP Campaigning in UP (Lok Sabha Elections 2014)
| DOI | 10.1177/2321023015575217 |
| Date | 01 June 2015 |
| Author | Siddhartha Mukerji |
| Published date | 01 June 2015 |
| Subject Matter | India’s 2014 Elections |
India’s 2014 Elections
Understanding Urban–Rural Patterns
of BJP Campaigning in UP (Lok Sabha
Elections 2014)
Siddhartha Mukerji1
Abstract
The electoral patterns in Lok Sabha as well as state assembly elections reflect perceptible differences
and variations across regions, groups, communities and constituencies. One such significant variation
is found in urban and rural pattern of voting and party campaigning. The rural voter turnout in Uttar
Pradesh stood at 58.5 per cent as compared to 54.7 per cent in urban localities. The difference also lies
in party support in urban and rural areas, issues of campaigning and finally strategies to connect with
rural and urban masses. Is the recent Lok Sabha election also a testimony to such variations? Or has the
gap reduced due to predominance of other kinds of polarizations, especially religion?
BJP’s landslide victory in recent Lok Sabha elections and above all its ability to secure 71 out of 80
in Uttar Pradesh, the state with largest number of seats in Lok Sabha, marked a decisive shift in the
electoral verdict of the masses. Its vote share in the state increased by 25 per cent.
The article would engage with a comparative study of urban and rural electoral patterns by account-
ing for variations in vote share, strategies used by political parties to attract rural and urban voters,
issues of relevance for women voters and areas where religious polarization made the rural–urban
divide immaterial as both urban and rural voters responded equally to religious appeals.
Keywords
Social media, oral transmission, governance, religious polarization, ICT, Uttar Pradesh, SP, BSP, BJP, Modi
Introduction
Uttar Pradesh, with a population of 207,644,568 in 2013, comprising nearly 16 per cent of the total
population of India is among its most backward states with a low level of urbanization. As per Census
2011, the rural–urban population distribution was 68.84 and 31.16, respectively. The rate of urbanization
has increased from 27.81 per cent in 2001 to 31.16 per cent in 2011, whereas the proportion of rural
people declined from 72.19 per cent to 68.84 per cent. The phenomenon of urban–rural divide also
1 Department of Political Science, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Central University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
Corresponding author:
Siddhartha Mukerji, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Central
University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
E-mail: butku9@gmail.com
Studies in Indian Politics
3(1) 111–123
© 2015 Lokniti, Centre for the
Study of Developing Societies
SAGE Publications
sagepub.in/home.nav
DOI: 10.1177/2321023015575217
http://inp.sagepub.com
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