CPI (ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya addresses a press conference, in Patna
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Left parties’ tally might have fallen from 16 seats to three in Bihar this time but CPI(ML)L, CPI(M) and CPI, which fought 33 seats, could find some relief that its candidates polled more votes in absolute numbers as compared to five years ago.
Three parties saw their votes rise by 2.2% – from 20.55 lakh to 21.01 lakh – between 2020 and 2025, even as CPI(ML)L contested one more seat and CPI three seats in the just concluded Assembly elections. However, if one takes the vote share, there is a marginal decrease in 2025.
Left leaders said the increase in numbers is encouraging but a lot of ground needs to be covered in the state.
CPI(ML)L statistics showed that it polled 13.33 lakh votes in 19 seats five years ago while it rose to 14.25 lakh, up by 6.4%. This time, the party contested two new seats compared to last time’s seats while repeating 18 constituencies.
In ten seats, it increased its votes in a range of 838 (Digha) and 19,977 (Tarari). While in Paliganj where it won, its votes increased from 67,917 to 81,105 but in Karakat, which it retained, the numbers came down to 74,157 from 82,700.
In Aurai, which it contested last time but gave to ally VIP this time, the votes for the I.N.D.I.A candidate rose from 42,613 to 46,879 though the candidate could not pull through this time too.
When it comes to CPI, the increase in votes was 22,969 votes or 6.5% – from 3.49 lakh votes in six seats to 3.72 lakh in nine seats. In four seats, it contested against its ally Congress in friendly fights. While it contested Banka instead of Rupauli this time, the party also fielded candidates in Raja Pakar (12,990 votes), Biharsharif (2,736) and Kargahar (2,362).
In Bachhwara, its votes dwindled from 54,254 to 21,588 as the Congress candidate came second with 84,502 votes. The margin of victory for the BJP in this seat was 15,841.
CPI(M), which contested four seats like last time, increased its votes from 2.74 lakh to 3.02 lakh or a 10.51% increase. It contested Hayaghat (65,383 votes) this time instead of Matihari (60,599 in 2020).
Except for Manjhi seat where its votes marginally declined, it fared well in Pipra clocking an increase of around 19,000 votes and around 5,000 votes in Bibhutipur, the only seat it won this time.