The CPM has cut inroads into Rajasthan by winning two assembly seats. The party’s victory in Bhadra and Dungargarh assumes significance at a time when the BJP lost power in the state to the Congress. The CPM wrested both seats from the BJP. Both the constituencies have been hotbeds of farmer agitations and left-wing militancy.
The CPM’s Balwan Poonia has won with 23153 vote margin in Bhadra constituency of Hanumangarh district. His nearest rival is BJP’s, Sanjeev Kumar. in 2013, Sanjeev Kumar won with a 26488 vote margin. In Shree Dungargarh constituency of Bikaner district, the CPI(M)’s Giridharilal Mahiya is leading with 23896 votes. Congress candidate Mangalram is at the second position in this seat. In 2013, BJP’s Kishana Ram won this seat by a margin of 16202 votes. In the 2013 elections, the CPI(M) had failed to win any seat. CPM won three seats – Dhod and Danta Ramgarh in Sikar and Anupnagar in Sri Ganganagar districts – in 2008.
The CPM victory follows much footwork. The party had organised a slew of farmer agitations against the BJP governments in the state and the union government. The party was at the forefront of a movement demanding a waiver of farm loans, slashing of electricity charges and the expansion of irrigation facilities. The agitators were successful in getting the government to accept many of their demands.
The CPI(M)’s Rajasthan in-charge Hannan Mollah said the trend of election results in the three Hindi-heartland states has ended the myth of the BJP’s invincibility. “In the last two-three years of electoral politics, Modi-Shah combine emerged as invincible. It seemed no party could defeat the BJP under their leadership. This myth has been broken in this election,” said Mollah. Mollah, who is also the general secretary of the CPI(M)’s farmers’ wing All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), said that farmers’ issues were crucial in the elections for the five states. “BJP loss in the Hindi-heartland was due to farmers’ distress in rural areas. The saffron party has been turned down by farmers and those living in rural areas,” he claimed. The CPI(M) leader added that in the next year’s Lok Sabha election, farmers and rural distress would be one of the key poll issues.
CPI(M) fought in Rajasthan on 28 seats as part of a seven-party alliance called the Loktantrik Morcha. The alliance also include Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Marxist Communist Party of India (United), Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and Janata Dal (Secular).
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