Bihar Assembly Elections: Every possibility of 'resounding victory' of Mahagatbhandhan, says CPI-M

New Delhi: Left parties deserve more seats to fight in the upcoming Bihar assembly polls but they will be "realistic and reasonable" in making their claims as part of the Mahagathbandhan, CPI-M general secretary MA Baby has said.

In an interview with PTI, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) general secretary also said there is every possibility of a "resounding victory" for the alliance as there was a "spontaneous upsurge among people" during the Mahagatbandhan's "Voter Adhikar Yatra" against the Special Intensive Revision exercise.

Seat-sharing talks are ongoing in the opposition Grand Alliance or the 'Mahagathbandhan' for the Bihar Assembly polls. The CPI-M is part of the grand alliance in Bihar.

"The spontaneous upsurge among people, especially youth and women in Bihar that I could witness on 9th of July and on 1st of September, shows that Mahagatbandhan is moving forward very strongly and there is every possibility of a resounding victory for the broad political arrangement that we have in Bihar," he said.

Asked about the expectations of the Left parties in the seat-sharing arrangement for the polls, Baby said they deserve more seats, and the CPI-M, which had fought on four seats last time, has identified certain seats where it is strong.

"Left parties deserve more seats. I have had discussions with Mr. Tejashwi Yadav ji'. I happened to have discussions with him in detail in Patna. We have explained to him the importance of the Left contesting more seats, whose performance in the last assembly election was creditable," Baby said.

"He also appreciates that. However, this is a coalition. You see, there are different parties making claims. We would be very realistic and reasonable in making our claims. The strength of our mass base, we want it to get reflected in the electoral battle also," he said.

"I hope the Mahagatbandhan would be able to come to an amicable decision as to how many seats each partner should contest," he said.

In the 2020 Bihar assembly election, Left parties -- CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI-M, and the CPI -- had won 16 out of 29 seats they contested. The CPI-M had fought on four seats, and the CPI on six. Both won two seats each. The CPI(ML) contested 19 seats, and won 12.

"Last time we won two seats and narrowly lost two. So, naturally to these four seats we have our claim. Last time we also indicated the strengths that we have in a few other constituencies. This also we would place before Tejashwi Yadavji who is the Opposition Leader in Bihar. We hope that we will have a good deal," he said.

Asked when the discussions on seat sharing are expected to conclude, he said RJD leaders will have to take the initiative.

"There will be two-three rounds of discussions. First of all, the RJD leader has to take the initiative to discuss with various political parties," the CPI-M general secretary said.

"The order in which he should discuss is to be decided by Tejashwi Yadav ji himself. So, we have indicated to him the exercise, if it is done early, it would be better for us to reach the people. In the structure of Mahagatbandhan, they will take a decision on that," he said.

The CPI(M) had recently held 11 constituency-level conventions in 10 districts from August 12 to 29.

Currently, the CPI-M has MLAs from Vibhutipur seat in Samastipur and Majhi in Saran. They narrowly lost two seats in 2020 - Matihani (Begusarai) and Pipra (East Champaran).

The State Committee of CPI-M has identified seven seats in the second priority list, which includes Purnea (District Purnea), Bisfi (Madhubani), Parbatta (Khagaria), Mehasi (Saharsa), Bahadurpur (Darbhanga), Nautan (West Champaran) and Mohiuddin Nagar (Samastipur).

The CPI-M general secretary also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on "infiltrators" in Bihar, saying the statement is "unbecoming" of a prime minister.

PM Modi on Monday charged opposition parties with shielding illegal immigrants, asserting that infiltration had caused a “demographic crisis” in eastern states like Bihar, Assam and West Bengal, making people “worried for the honour of their sisters and daughters”.

Baby said the BJP is in power in the Centre, and in the ruling alliance in Bihar.

"He (PM Modi) has the Home Ministry with him. He has a government supported by his party and participated by his party in Bihar. What they have been doing with the power in Delhi as well as in Patna? This is 'cheap political rhetoric' to effect communal polarisation in society. It is absolutely irresponsible on the part of the prime minister to say this. There are legal methods to identify foreigners if they are there," he said.

"Now, minorities are dubbed as foreigners. Bengali-speaking minorities are dubbed as Bangladeshis. It is an atrocious situation. This will create big wounds in the body of our polity," he added.

"If people are leaving Bihar in search of job and sustenance, to say that people are infiltrating into Bihar is an inexplicable statement. This also I hope that the people of Bihar would understand," he added.

In the 2020 elections, the Grand Alliance -- then comprising the RJD, Congress and Left parties -- gave a spirited fight but fell short of majority, with political observers blaming the grand old party's poor strike rate for dragging the alliance down.

The RJD had emerged as the single-largest party, winning 75 of the 144 seats it contested, while Congress won only 19. The CPI(ML) Liberation emerged as the surprise performer, winning 12 of the 19 seats it contested, while CPI and CPI-M bagged two each.

Currently, six parties form the Grand Alliance -- RJD, Congress, CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI, CPI-M and Mukesh Sahni's Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), a new entrant. The Lok Janshakti Party (Paras faction) and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are also likely to be part of it ahead of the polls due later this year.