THE Haryana state assembly elections for 90 constituencies will take place on October 21. Both the CPI and the CPI(M) are contesting seven seats each. The CPI(M) has announced the following candidates:

Jagtar Singh-Tohana(Fatehabad); Suresh Kumar-Adampur(Hisar); Ram Mehar-Bawani Khera-SC(Bhivani); Ramesh Chandra-Julana(Jind); Satyawan-Kalaayat(Kaithal); kamlesh Lahli-Kalaanaur SC(Rohtak); Virender Dangwal-NIT(Faridabad).

In the parliament elections held in May 2019, all the 10 Lok Sabha seats from Haryana were won by the BJP, securing 58.2 per cent votes. However, for the state assembly elections the performance of the state government is being largely viewed as the main issue before the people. Even in the ticket distribution in the BJP there was large scale resentment. Caste polarisation also exists strongly in the state which had emanated from the Jat reservation movement in 2016.

Indian National Lok Dal has already split and a majority of its MLAs have joined the BJP. Bhupender Hooda the former chief minister of the state gave signals of leaving the Congress party. But he was won over by the Congress party and made leader of the opposition. He is now heading the Congress campaign. BSP is contesting elections independently.

FIVE YEARS OF BJP RULE

The last five years of BJP rule has seen unprecedented attacks on the livelihoods of the people. All records of unemployment have been broken. The rate of unemployment is 28.7 per cent, which is higher than other neighbouring states. Not a single new industry has come up in the state during the last five years; in fact industries have closed at a rapid pace. Public utilities like education, health, transport are systematically being dismantled. However, the liquor shops and vends were opened in large numbers; though some of the schools were closed. Had the Supreme Court not intervened, the Aravallis(mountain range) would have been handed over to the big corporates and real estate builders by the BJP.

The state known for consuming milk and other dairy products has 55.8 per cent malnourished children and 66 per cent anaemic women. The worst forms of social oppressions were witnessed in the state, which had tacit support of the BJP brigade.

The BJP has built up a campaign on fake nationalism and communalism. Dozens of organisations affiliated to the sangh parivar spread communal venom. The state government appointed sangh parivar’s incapable people at important positions of the state. The VCs appointed by them ensure that the voices raised against privatisation and communalisation of education are cowed down.

Khattar government has used one of the highly exclusive principles of disallowing the people to contest the local body elections on the basis of their educational qualification. Now raising the bogey of NRC, it has created a fear amongst the 19 lakh minority population of the state.

CPI(M) IN THE CAMPAIGN

The Party has been the principal opposition to the policies of the BJP in the state. Despite the fact that there was no legislator from the CPI(M) in the state assembly, the Party championed the cause of the common people by building struggles on the streets and in the villages.

The CPI(M) was active in building struggles on issues of  remunerative prices for agricultural crops; for adequate compensation to the farmers because of loss of farm produce; issues of MGNREGA; issues of housing ; against attacks on the women; championing the cause of workers engaged in construction activities etc.

The party has approached its mass base and called upon the people to ensure that representatives of their own class enters the vidhan sabha so that voices from the streets could be made heard even in the policy matters.

The party was instrumental in the formation of a people’s manifesto which was thoroughly discussed amongst the different organisations of the people and other democratic sections of the society.

(In the previous columns we have given details about it)