No Modi Factor, People Shaped Agenda, Says CPI-ML Leader as Party Makes Impressive Gains in Bihar

As trends firmed up on counting day for the Bihar Assembly polls, a clear picture of the Left parties putting up an impressive show within the Rashtriya Janata Party (RJD)-led Mahagathbandhan emerged. What also became clear was that the Congress, contesting on 70 seats and is leading in about 20 of them at the time of filing the copy, seemed to be pulling the Grand Alliance down.

CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said he was still hopeful about an eventual victory of the Mahagathbandhan. “This was a very inspiring electoral battle. It looked like a veritable upsurge of the youth and workers. Regardless of the eventual outcome, I’d say the people of Bihar have attained an important victory by shaping the election agenda,” said Bhattacharya,

When asked whether the Left parties should have contested on more seats as part of the alliance, the CPI(ML) leader said, “I guess the ML and other Left parties as a whole should have got better representation within the alliance, and maybe an earlier firming up of the tie-up would have helped. But the review can wait.”

He further said there has been no ‘Modi factor’ at work except the “vicious communal campaign” unleashed by the BJP which seems to have had some effect in the second and third phases of the election.

“Let’s be very clear, if the people of Bihar have vented out their anger against Nitish Kumar, the BJP is equally responsible for the failure of his government, both as the JDU’s partner in Bihar and as the (leading party at the) central government. People found the much-touted double engine arrangement driverless during the lockdown. The people were left in the lurch, abandoned by both the governments and our comrades stood by the people on the ground,” said Bhattacharya when asked about the reasons for the BJP’s success in the state elections.

On the Congress’ contesting from 70 seats in Bihar, Bhattacharya said, “I guess the Congress did not perhaps have the organisation and strength to contest from as many said. But as I said, the review should wait.”

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