“Bihar youth have been campaigning for vacant government positions to be filled, teachers have been demanding equal pay for equal work, workers have been demanding regularization and adequate pay, farmers have been demanding MSP to 1, 5 times their input costs, the poor have been demanding free and good quality education and health care. It is these issues that have led, at least in part, to the 25-point MGB Change Commitments, “said the President of AISA, N Sai Balaji, on the central agenda of Mahagathbandhan.
Background of social movements
The CPI (ML) also brought with it the support it obtained through the social movements it has supported on the ground and this is reflected in some of its candidates.
“Manoj Manzil from Aigaon has led the Sadak Par school movement in Bhojpur, against unemployment, Shashi Yadav from Digha led the midday meal workers, ASHA workers and other working women movements. Sandeep Saurav has been a leader of the student and youth movements for education, employment and democracy, “Balaji said.
Youth Factor
The high proportion of young candidates in the CPI (ML) like Manoj Manzil, Sandeep Saurav or Aftab Alam also went very well with Tejashwi Yadav’s focus on youth. And this seems to have helped the Mahagathbandhan as most polls give it a considerable advantage among young people compared to other age groups.
Caste base
The social base of the CPI (ML) also contributed greatly to the Mahagathbandhan. In certain pockets, the CPI (ML) is strong among the Mahadalits, Yadav, and extremely backward castes.
Observers such as Sajjan Kumar and Rajan Pandey note that the political awakening among the Dalits in Bihar did not come through Amebdkarite politics but through the left. This is particularly true for the CPI (ML) support between Mushahars and Chamars.
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