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.