Elections 2019: CPI(M) May Make Battle Tough For BJP, Congress in Ujiarpur

Bibhutipur, Ujiarpur (Bihar): Ignoring the scorching sun and hot winds, a group of men and women were busy cutting wheat crops in a field near Damodarpur village. Initially, they showed no interest in discussing anything related to elections. But soon they made it clear to this reporter that the battle is going to be tough this time for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance to retain the Ujiarpur Lok Sabha seat. The Rashtriya Janata Dal-led Mahagathbandhan is trying hard to make a comeback, but with the Communist Party of India (CPI(M)) in fray, it has turned into a triangular contest.

“We are labourers, we work very hard to fill our stomachs. Elections bring no change to our lives. We eke out a living through struggle. It was the same yesterday, it will be the same tomorrow,” said Awadh Mahto, a landless farm labourer, one of the workers in the wheat field.

Another farm labourer, Suresh Prasad, said it would not be easy for BJP state president Nityanand Rai, who is contesting polls from Ujiarpur this time. Rai had won the seat in 2014. The Mahagathbandhan’s candidate in the fray is Upendra Kushwaha, the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party chief and former Union Minister, is also a heavyweight.

Both Mahto and Prasad said the presence of CPI (M) candidate Ajay Kumar, considered a strong candidate, was giving sleepless nights to Rai and Kushwaha as he was likely to make a dent in the support base of the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan.

At Chak Habib village, Shanti Devi said she and her family had decided to vote for Kushwaha as he was with the RJD. “We will support the Mahagathbandhan this time, unlike the last elections, as the candidate belongs to our own caste.”

Another farm labourer, Suresh Rai, who is a Left supporter, expressed his unhappiness over how lack of irrigation and scarcity of water, due to the fast depletion of groundwater, had made life difficult for him and others.

“My main source of livelihood is farming by taking land on lease, it is different from share cropping. The drought-like condition year after year and poor monsoons have created problems. No one cares to provide us with irrigation facility. Nityanand Rai, after winning polls five years ago, neglected this constituency in Samastipur district,” he said.

“I will vote for  CPI (M) to express my protest against the failure of the BJP-led central government in helping out the farmers and farm labourers in distress,” he added.

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Farmer Lakhendar Rai pointed out that just like in other places, the youngsters in Ujiarpur had also been forced to migrate outside.

“Agriculture has become a loss-making activity, there are no other job opportunities. Youths are migrating outside to earn a livelihood, he said, but he added that he was in dilemma whether to support his caste man Rai of BJP or for the Mahagathbandhan candidate.

The caste divide is clearly visible in Ujiarpur during polls. BJP’s Rai, who belongs to the Yadav caste, is banking on his caste people as well as other OBCs, upper castes and Dalits. On the other hand, RLSP’s Kushwaha is also counting on his caste people, who have a sizeable population, as well as RJD supporters –  Yadavs, Muslims and Dalits.

“As always, caste equations and caste loyalties are going to play an important role as the real issues affecting people have been pushed to the sidelines, and main contestants Rai and Kushwaha are both playing the caste card to divide people,” said Vishnu Singh, a school teacher in Bibhutipur.

Rai and Kushwaha have repeatedly targeted each other in one election meeting after another. Rai has called Kushwaha a “bhagaura” (runaway) and a leader who cannot be relied upon by any party. And Kushwaha has attacked Rai for doing nothing over the past five years.

The CPI (M) candidate is banking on its cadres among all castes and communities. The party is hopeful of getting the support of poor farm labourers and workers. Party leaders and workers along with Ajay Kumar have been mainly focussed on door-to-door campaigning, street corner meetings and direct interaction with villagers.

Ajay Kumar, widely seen as a strong leader, said the party’s position was better this time. “We will surprise both NDA and Mahagathbandhan as the CPI(M) is seen as an alternative by the people here. Rai ignored the issues affecting thousands in Ujiarpur and totally neglected the people, who have been fighting for basic amenities.”

Bihar’s CPI(M) state secretary Awadhesh Kumar, camping in Ujiarpur for the past 10 days, said Kumar was getting support from all sections.

“This time the CPI(M) is supported by CPI (ML), which has some strong pockets, and the CPI, which also has a support base in some pockets. All of this will help the party perform better than the last polls, when the party polled over 53,000 votes,” he said.

He said the CPI(M)’s candidate was local unlike NDA and Mahagathbandhan candidates. It is an advantage.

Kumar said the three Left parties were contesting the polls together, unlike in the last polls. “CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, politburo member Brinda Karat and senior party leader Subhashini  Ali, along with JNU students’ union leader Ejaz Ahmad Rather have campaigned in Ujiarpur. Party leaders and workers from all across Bihar have been campaigning here.”

Ujiarpur will go to polls on April 29 in the fourth phase of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.