Updated: October 21, 2020 6:41:30 pm
CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar says the biggest challenge facing the left and progressive forces in Bihar is stopping the communal agenda of the BJP.
How do you frame this choice?
I have two observations. First is that the elections should not have happened given the coronavirus situation. I believe that for political parties and their leaders, their work and power are more important issues, while the safety of the people and the pandemic are secondary. There was speculation about how the elections would be carried out, how the rallies would be carried out, how the crowds gathered, how people would go out to vote, but little by little it has become clear that the elections are being carried out as they used to. be in the past.
Second, there was a feeling that it was going to be a one-sided election and the NDA has an advantage, that there is no competition. But, as the campaign accelerated, that perception was shattered. This is not a unilateral election and there is a lot of anger, especially against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The left has been linked to the RJD and you are in alliance with Congress, a party that you have always attacked. Why?
Lalu Prasad became Prime Minister for the first time in 1990 with the support of the CPI. Interestingly, the BJP had provided external support to that government. See, in Indian politics, all parties at some point or another have allied with everyone except Congress and the BJP… In the context of Bihar, the BJP has been running the government indirectly for the last 15 years. Nitish has certainly been the face, but all the policies, when viewed from an economic perspective, have been neoliberal policies. And the BJP has been constantly bringing its community agenda to the heart of Hindi.
The BJP wants to replicate in Bihar what it did successfully in Uttar Pradesh. In UP, he formed a government with the SP and BSP alternately and the current situation is that he has a full-fledged government there. And you know what’s going on at UP. An out-of-state reporter cannot come to report, rape incidents are reported every day and the government tries to protect the accused … So the biggest challenge before us today is when Nitish Kumar is is weakening, there is a possibility that the BJP directly seizing power in Bihar. The biggest challenge facing the left and progressive forces in Bihar is stopping the communal agenda of the BJP. So we have formed this leftist, democratic and secular alliance.
There is a perception that this time you are deliberately keeping a low profile.
I’ve always been a low-key person; the media increases and decreases my profile. I have a political commitment and I fight for that. The thought (this time) was that the anti-BJP votes should not be divided and we should enter into an alliance. Whatever responsibility the party (CPI) gives me, I am fulfilling it.
What is your opinion on the projection of Tejashwi Yadav as CM candidate of the alliance? His opponents call him inexperienced, others say he is a reminder of the ‘anarchy’ of Lalu’s days.
In a parliamentary democracy with system first beyond the mail, the largest party with the numbers will be the CM or the PM. When the alliance itself is formed that way – the RJD is competing in 144 seats, Congress in 70 and the left in 29 – then obviously the CM will be from the RJD. And it is the decision of the RJD who wants to do the CM. We cannot change that decision. What is the basis of our alliance? Our alliance was formed on a common minimum program. And what is the political line on that? We have to stop communal forces, end the neoliberal spoils and work for the development of Bihar. Let wealth flow, people will have better infrastructure, food security, education, job opportunities. All the leaders of the Grand Alliance focus on employment and migration. We enter into an alliance with that agenda. The question of who the CM will be if we get the majority is not that important to us. Manmohan Singh became prime minister, people thought Sonia Gandhi would be, and when differences with Singh arose in politics, we (the left) withdrew. Any political party that enters into an alliance can face this situation.
How is the projection for Tejashwi impacting, positively or negatively?
We will know that on November 10. How can we predict that? What we are seeing now is that as the leader of the alliance people come to their rallies. The answer is good. Young people aggressively support him. So now the impact seems to be positive. Some things can be discussed before the survey, others after the survey.
How do you see Chirag Paswan’s decision to compete alone? There are various theories …
People have different points of view. My opinion about political parties is simple. Look, when the AIMIM disputes, the BJP is said to be behind to split the secular vote. I do not agree In a democracy, all parties, large or small, or an individual have the right to participate. If he (Chirag) feels his party should assert itself independently, it should. How can anyone’s right to participate in elections be delegitimized? I do not support the political analogy of the vote-caster (made for AIMIM). It means that India should have a two-party system and not a multi-party system. When we have a multi-party system, how can one party be called the divisor of the votes of another? The beauty of democracy is that everyone is free to participate in elections. A multi-party system is always considered better.
Recently, he said that the opposition is always reacting to the agenda of the BJP, NDA. Why?
I have been saying this for a long time, it is not about the current elections in Bihar. The context is different. The context is that we should set our agenda rather than react to the agenda set by the BJP. They will pose a mandir problem one day, a masjid problem another day. The BJP’s tactic is to divert and rule, as the British divide and rule. There are so many important issues … farm laws, labor laws … Many of the welfare plans have been removed in the name of reforms. The country’s growth rate has dropped, Ambani’s wealth has increased. The country has lowered its hunger index. There is accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few and people face difficulties even in accessing basic things.
So should the opposition avoid reacting to divisive issues?
No … (But) consistently, the Opposition should agitate and carry out political movements and programs. It should not be that if there is an incident, you react and then remain silent. We have to constantly continue to work on issues, be it farmers’ issues, employment, women’s safety or the working class. I am not saying that parties should be silent on issues, you react to a particular issue but then continue to work on people’s issues. I always say rozi, roti, kapda, makaan ispe baat na ho isliye desh mein hota hai Hindu aur Musalman (I always say that to make sure no one asks questions about the essentials, we speak of Hindu, Muslim). So if there is a Hindu-Muslim (issue), as a political party you have to give an answer. Give an answer but constantly raise issues of farmers, unemployment, women’s safety, atrocities.
Are the Bihar elections a referendum on the Modi government?
Not absolutely not. In political discourse, the entire attack is against Nitish Kumar. Anger and discontent are against Nitish. So it won’t be a referendum on the Modi government. It is not in the political discourse. Talk to anyone in Bihar, the anger is against Nitish Kumar. Modi is not in his analysis or political discourse. Yes, if the BJP wins, they will project it as a Modi victory to cover up the failure during the lockdown. This pick is for Bihar and focuses on Bihar. And the head of the government is Nitish. So the attack is against him and the anger of the people is against him.
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