Left reduced to non-entity in Bihar

Nov 25, 2010
PATNA: Both the 2009 Lok Sabha polls as well as the just-concluded Bihar assembly election results have established that mass-base of Left parties CPI, CPM and CPI(M-L) have faired badly.

In Lok Sabha elections the Left bloc could not win even a single seat out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats whereas in assembly polls the Left could win only one seat.

In outgoing 14th Bihar assembly, the three Left parties had nine seats CPI (M-L) (five), CPI (three) and CPM (one). However, in the recent assembly polls the result of which was declared on Wednesday, the Left would be represented by a lone CPI member who was elected from Bachchwara in Begusarai district.

The CPI (M-L), which boasted of being the largest Left party in Bihar till the poll results came in, has now been reduced to a non-entity in state politics as it could not retain even one of its five seats.

The CPI, the oldest Left party of the state, failed to retain any of the three seats which it had won in the last elections Barauni (now known as Teghra), Harlakhi and Bakhri. It, however, succeeded in at least making its presence this time by winning Bachchwara seat. However, the other two relatively younger Left parties CPM and CPI (M-L) emerged really proletariat in terms of their strength in state legislature "nothing to lose but chains".

While CPM veteran Ram Dev Verma lost the Bhibhutipur seat in Samastipur district, the CPI lost the Teghra seat for the first time since 1956.

Left watchers here feel that the Left parties leadership has miserably failed to visualise changing political scenario in Bihar and could not chalk out a proper strategy to consolidate its position.

Like the in Lok Ssbha polls, the stubborn attitude of the CPI (M-L) state leadership led to its failure to unite the Left parties even in these elections. It led to "friendly fights" even between the Left candidates. The CPI

(M-L) had "friendly fight" with CPM in six seats and in 17 seats with the CPI. Such a friendly fights sent wrong signals even among the Left supporters.

It is now certain that the coming days will certainly prove to be a Herculean task for the Left to re-establish itself in state politics. The huge defeat in the assembly polls is bound to give the Left parties' leadership sleepless nights.

Bihar poll results disappointing, says CPI(M)

PTI

The CPI(M) today said it was disappointed by the Bihar Assembly poll results.

“Our number of seats have gone down in Bihar Assembly...naturally we are disappointed,” CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat told reporters outside Parliament.

CPI and CPI(M) have so far drawn a blank in the Bihar polls which have been swept by the JD(U)-BJP alliance.

Congratulating JD(U)-BJP on their good performance, she said, “We all congratulate Nitish Kumar for the victory in Bihar. His alliance has made a record victory in Bihar“.

However, Ms. Karat refused to comment on Congress’s poor performance despite the high voltage campaign by Rahul Gandhi.

Taking a dig at the BJP for not removing B S Yeddyurappa for certain “caste consideration” in Karnataka, Ms. Karat said, “In Bihar they (BJP) do not believe in caste combination. Bihar elections have risen above caste and in Karnataka, obviously, they are using certain caste factors to protect somebody who is so corrupt and guilty of wrong-doing.”

P.M and a host of Dignitaries visit Puttaparthi on Sai Baba's birth day eve

The annual convocation of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning was held in Sai Kulwant Hall in a glittering ceremony graced by the Chancellor of the Institute Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba attended by Chief Guest for the convocation His Excellency The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh along with a host of glitterati from the political world.


The host of dignitaries included Sri K. Rosaiah, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Sri E.S.L. Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Sri Y.S. Yeddyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sri Shivraj Patil, Governor of Punjab, Sri M.K. Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Sri Sushil Kumar Shinde, Union Minister for Power, Sri Ashok Chavan, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Dr. Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons, Tata Consultancy Services Chairman Sri N. Chandrasekaran, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Tata Consultancy Services.

Karnataka ready to build dormitory at Sabarimala for its pilgrims

November 15


Bangalore:

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will hold talks with Dewaswom Minister Ramachandran Kadannappally on constructing a dormitory at Sannidhanam for pilgrims from Karnataka and improving vehicle traffic at Pampa.

A team headed by the chief minister including Planning Commission vice chairman Ramachandra Gowda and Yeddyurappa's son Raghavendra M.P.

The chief minister will inaugurate the resting place for pilgrims built by a private firm in Chennai on the shores of Pampa.

The Karnataka government had set aside Rs 5 crore for the benefit of the pilgrims from the state in its last budget.

But Karnataka Minister V.S. Acharya had assured the former Dewasom commissioner P.V. Nalinakshan Nair that the state was ready to spend up to Rs 25 crores for construction purposes in the area.

The Dewasom Board had agreed to give five acres of land at Nilakkal for the purpose and the primary survey was conducted.

Both the states were drawn to the table for talks by the former Sabarimala Development High Power Committee chairman K. Jayakumar.

This time Karnataka's demands will be centred on the Sabarimala Development Master plan.