Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Turnout indications: on polling in Punjab, U.P.

Turnout indications: on polling in Punjab, U.P.

A fragmented (खंड, टुकड़ा, अंश) polity (राजनीतिक, राज्यव्यवस्था) depresses (दबाना, कम करना, धीमा करना) turnout (उपस्थित होना, भागीदारी) in Punjab; Uttar Pradesh’s polls indicate a closer battle

If recent elections are anything to go by (के अनुसार चलना, पालन करना), turnout numbers are no indication of which way the mandate (शासनादेश, आदेश) is swinging (oscillate, change, shift). Conventional wisdom (पारंपरिक ज्ञान, सामान्य ज्ञान, स्वीकृत विचार) has been that high turnout numbers correspond (अनुरूप, प्रतिनिधित्व करना, प्रतीक करना) to an anti-incumbency (विरोधी लहर) effect, and indeed (वास्तव में, निर्विवाद रूप से), a sudden spurt (sudden increase, rise, surge) in voting numbers could indicate a wave in a particular direction. But with voter turnouts, especially among the poor, going up (ऊपर जाना, वृद्धि) significantly in recent years across India, changes in turnout numbers offer little by way of (के माध्यम से, के रूप में) explaining the outcome (परिणाम, नतीजा). The drop (गिरावट, कमी, बूँद) in voter turnout in Punjab from 77.4% in 2017 to 71.92% in 2022, however, indicates a certain frustration (निराशा, झुंझलाहट / जलन) with the polity in the State. In the last few months, there have been drastic changes in the party system following the removal of Captain Amarinder Singh from the Chief Minister’s post, his leaving the Congress and joining hands (work together with) with his erstwhile (old, previous, former, then) arch-enemy (archfoe, nemesis, adversary, antagonist, enemy, foe, hostile, opponent), the BJP. The anger over the farm laws that were later repealed (invalidate, reverse, cancel, nullify, revoke), was felt the most in rural Punjab and the farm agitations ((public) protest) against the Centre’s (focus, concentrate) policies should have provided a viable (reasonable, practical, logical, sensible, effective) path for the ruling Congress to succeed (achieve success, be successful). But the infighting ((internal/hidden) dissent, dispute, strife, contention, conflict, friction, difference of opinion, disagreement) within the Congress and its belated but logical promotion of incumbent (current, existing, present) Charanjit Singh Channi as the “chief ministerial” candidate complicated matters for the ruling party. Reports from the ground (a place/area where things are practically happening) suggested that the Aam Aadmi Party was also able to capitalise on (take advantage of, use, make use of, benefit from) the general resentment (bitterness, indignation, irritation, displeasure, dissatisfaction, discontentment) with the two national parties and the Shiromani Akali Dal, but the fragmentation (breaking, separation, splintering, disintegration) of the polity and a general lack (absence, unavailability, non-existence) of clarity among them over the issues that have affected the electorate (all the people who entitled to vote in an election) seems to have dampened (decrease, diminish/lessen, reduce) voter enthusiasm (eagerness, excitement, interest, passion, zeal) in the State.

In the third phase of polling in 59 seats in central Uttar Pradesh, the voter turnout was 60.46%, marginally lower than the 62% voting in 2017 in the same seats. As with the earlier phases, there were a higher number of voters in rural areas compared to cities, a case in point (example, instance, case, exemplar, occasion) being Kanpur city which registered only a 56.14% turnout. With identity politics (it is also called as identitarian politics, refers to political positions based on the interests and perspectives of social groups with which people identify. Identity politics is when people of a particular race, ethnicity, gender, or religion form alliances and organize politically to defend their group’s interests), welfare (social security, government/state benefit, public/government assistance) and patronage (support, backing, protection) dominating the narrative of the elections here, urban voters seemed less enthused (motivate, inspire, excite, encourage) compared to their rural brethren (people of a particular community/group) perhaps (maybe, possibly) because of the lack of an adequate emphasis (importance, significance; priority, insistence) on civic issues in the political discourse (discussion, conversation, communication, expression). That said (in spite of everything, in spite of that, nonetheless, even so, however), ground reports (the report from the ground (a particular area/place where an activity/work really happens)) from the three phases have indicated a closer contest in comparison to 2017 when the BJP had a field day sweeping (win all (constituency); win each one of the constituency) district after district in the Assembly polls. Except in Bundelkhand, there has been enough of a wind behind the sails (to make someone feel more confident to do something; to get support for someone/something) of the Opposition — the Samajwadi Party-led coalition (alliance, union, partnership) in particular — and the high pitched (shrill, acute, sharp, high) third phase campaigns (canvassing, electioneering, an act of soliciting (asking for/requesting) votes; an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group) in the potato-growing areas are an indication that the election is not done and dusted. The relatively (to a certain degree, to a certain extent, partly, partially, in some measure, comparatively, moderately, a little, somewhat) peaceful nature of the polls and the centering of socio-economic (relating to the interaction of social (position, rank, or importance) and economic (income, pay, and wealth) aspects) issues rather than (instead of) religious identity (religious identity refers to how individuals develop their personal sense of religious and/or spiritual identity over the course of their lifetimes) bodes well for the next four phases of voting in India’s most populous (densely populated) State.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.turnout (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उपस्थित होना, भागीदारी
English Meaning - participation, attendance. (Voter turnout refers to the number or percentage of eligible voters who cast their ballots).

2.fragmented (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - खंड, टुकड़ा, अंश
English Meaning - divided, splintered, disintegrated, fractured.

3.polity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - राजनीतिक, राज्यव्यवस्था
English Meaning - a politically organized society.

4.depress (verb)

Hindi Meaning - दबाना, कम करना, धीमा करना
English Meaning - reduce, lower, diminish, slow down, slow up.

5.go by (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - के अनुसार चलना, पालन करना
English Meaning - follow, obey, abide by, comply with.

6.mandate (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शासनादेश, आदेश
English Meaning - approval, acceptance, endorsement, authority (given by a constituency to someone acting as its representative).

7.conventional wisdom (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - पारंपरिक ज्ञान, सामान्य ज्ञान, स्वीकृत विचार
English Meaning - received wisdom, common knowledge, accepted ideas (as true), popular belief (which may be questionable).

8.correspond (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अनुरूप, प्रतिनिधित्व करना, प्रतीक करना
English Meaning - represent, symbolize, signify, indicate.

9.anti-incumbency (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विरोधी लहर
English Meaning - a situation which is against elected officials currently in power; discontent against ruling government/ party in power.

10.indeed (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - वास्तव में, निर्विवाद रूप से
English Meaning - in fact, actually, undeniably.

11.go up (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - ऊपर जाना, वृद्धि
English Meaning - rise, increase.

12.by way of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के माध्यम से, के रूप में
English Meaning - as a form of, by means of, as a reason.

13.outcome (noun)

Hindi Meaning - परिणाम, नतीजा
English Meaning - result.

14.drop (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गिरावट, कमी, बूँद
English Meaning - decrease, reduction, decline.

15.frustration (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निराशा, झुंझलाहट / जलन
English Meaning - disappointment, annoyance/irritation, dissatisfaction.

16.spurt (noun)

English Meaning - sudden increase, rise, surge.

17.swing (verb)

English Meaning - oscillate, change, shift.

18.drastic (adjective)

English Meaning - extreme, serious, desperate, substantial.

19.join hands (phrase)

English Meaning - work together with.

20.erstwhile (adjective)

English Meaning - old, previous, former, then.

21.arch-enemy (noun)

English Meaning - archfoe, nemesis, adversary, antagonist, enemy, foe, hostile, opponent.

22.Farm Acts, 2000 (noun)

English Meaning - Farm Acts, 2000 refer to three agricultural bills passed by Indian Parliament in September 2020. The three acts are “The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 (FPTC Act) allows farmers to sell their harvest outside the notified Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis without paying any State taxes or fees”, “the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 facilitates contract farming and direct marketing”, and “the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 deregulates the production, storage, movement and sale of several major foodstuffs, including cereals, pulses, edible oils and onion, except in the case of extraordinary circumstances”.

23.repeal (verb)

English Meaning - invalidate, reverse, cancel, nullify, revoke.

24.agitation (noun)

English Meaning - (public) protest.

25.viable (adjective)

English Meaning - reasonable, practical, logical, sensible, effective.

26.succeed (verb)

English Meaning - achieve success, be successful.

27.infighting (noun)

English Meaning - (internal/hidden) dissent, dispute, strife, contention, conflict, friction, difference of opinion, disagreement.

28.belated (adjective)

English Meaning - late, behind time, not on time/delayed.

29.promotion (noun)

English Meaning - elevation.

30.incumbent (adjective)

English Meaning - current, existing, present.

31.ground (noun)

English Meaning - a place/area where things are practically happening.

32.capitalise on (verb)

English Meaning - take advantage of, use, make use of, benefit from.

33.resentment (noun)

English Meaning - bitterness, indignation, irritation, displeasure, dissatisfaction, discontentment.

34.fragmentation (noun)

English Meaning - breaking, separation, splintering, disintegration.

35.lack (noun)

English Meaning - absence, unavailability, non-existence.

36.electorate (noun)

English Meaning - all the people who entitled to vote in an election.

37.dampen (verb)

English Meaning - decrease, diminish/lessen, reduce.

38.enthusiasm (noun)

English Meaning - eagerness, excitement, interest, passion, zeal.

39.case in point (phrase)

English Meaning - example, instance, case, exemplar, occasion.

40.identity (noun)

English Meaning - a social category, a set of persons marked by a label and distinguished by rules deciding membership and (alleged) characteristic features or attributes; individuality, character, originality.

41.identity politics (plural noun)

English Meaning - it is also called as identitarian politics, refers to political positions based on the interests and perspectives of social groups with which people identify. Identity politics is when people of a particular race, ethnicity, gender, or religion form alliances and organize politically to defend their group’s interests.

42.welfare (noun)

English Meaning - social security, government/state benefit, public/government assistance.

43.patronage (noun)

English Meaning - support, backing, protection.

44.narrative (noun)

English Meaning - a representation of a particular situation; portrayal/account.

45.enthuse (verb)

English Meaning - motivate, inspire, excite, encourage.

46.brethren (plural noun)

English Meaning - people of a particular community/group.

47.perhaps (adverb)

English Meaning - maybe, possibly.

48.emphasis (noun)

English Meaning - importance, significance; priority, insistence.

49.civic (adjective)

English Meaning - government, public, community, local.

50.discourse (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, conversation, communication, expression.

51.that said (phrase)

English Meaning - in spite of everything, in spite of that, nonetheless, even so, however.

52.ground report (noun)

English Meaning - the report from the ground (a particular area/place where an activity/work really happens).

53.in comparison (phrase)

English Meaning - when compared, comparatively, by comparison, proportionately.

54.have a field day (phrase)

English Meaning - to utilize a golden chance/opportunity to do something you enjoy.

55.sweep (verb)

English Meaning - win all (constituency); win each one of the constituency.

56.a wind behind the sails (phrase)

English Meaning - to make someone feel more confident to do something; to get support for someone/something.

57.coalition (noun)

English Meaning - alliance, union, partnership.

58.in particular (phrase)

English Meaning - particularly, specifically, especially.

59.high pitched (adjective)

English Meaning - shrill, acute, sharp, high.

60.campaign (noun)

English Meaning - canvassing, electioneering, an act of soliciting (asking for/requesting) votes; an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group.

61.be done and dusted (phrase)

English Meaning - completed, finished, prepared, organized.

62.relatively (adverb)

English Meaning - to a certain degree, to a certain extent, partly, partially, in some measure, comparatively, moderately, a little, somewhat.

63.centre (verb)

English Meaning - focus, concentrate.

64.socio-economic (noun)

English Meaning - relating to the interaction of social (position, rank, or importance) and economic (income, pay, and wealth) aspects.

65.rather than (phrase)

English Meaning - instead of.

66.religious identity (noun)

English Meaning - religious identity refers to how individuals develop their personal sense of religious and/or spiritual identity over the course of their lifetimes.

67.bode well/ill (verb)

English Meaning - augur, indicate, portend (a good/bad outcome).

68.populous (adjective)

English Meaning - densely populated.