Agartala: CPIM politburo member Manik Sarkar on Friday said the ruling BJP cut a sorry figure in the 2023 assembly elections in the northeast as the party could barely win 46 seats of the 180 constituencies that went to polls.
Addressing a party event at Kumarghat under Unakoti district, Sarkar said, “In the recently-concluded elections in northeastern states, the BJP has performed poorly. In Meghalaya, the deposits of 58 of the 60 candidates were forfeited. In Nagaland, the BJP could not do well. In Tripura, the results could have been different, but unfortunately, the BJP retained power even after 60 per cent of the voters rejected it as indicated by the mandate.”
Stating that an anti-BJP wave is visibly taking shape in Indian politics, Sarkar said, “The parties that had never wasted any scope to indulge in each other’s criticism are now considering to meet and strategise for the Lok Sabha elections. AAP and Congress are the best examples. When the AAP government in Delhi is facing multi-pronged challenges, the Congress has raised its voice against the Centre’s arbitrary interference in the internal matters of an elected government.”
Describing the BJP’s recent electoral performance as a signal of people’s rejection, Sarkar said, “The BJP always tends to play the communal card to make sure things come fit in their scheme of things. But, this experiment is lately not paying off results. In Karnataka, people did not pay any attention to the communal overtones being used to change the narrative. Instead, they stuck to the key issues which are food, work, health, education and other basic amenities. This is why Congress got such a huge mandate in the elections.”
Advising the party workers to play an active role in mobilizing the public against the BJP and RSS, Sarkar said, “Things are not favourable for us. After the poll results were declared, our workers are facing a unique situation. Even though the scale of physical atrocities is under control, the BJP leaders are indulged in large-scale extortion. To discharge your professional duties such as plying auto, opening shops or even farming, the BJP leaders have to be made happy with a hefty share of money.”
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He further added: “But we can’t sit idle in our homes. Our responsibility is to stay with the people; tell them how their rights are being trampled. If required, leave the red flag, don’t shout the slogan but go among people and stay with them. When voters are educated change is inevitable.”
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