People's Democracy

On Assembly Election Results

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on March 7, 2012:

The overall results of the five assembly elections in UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur constitute a setback for the Congress party. It has lost the government in Goa; it has failed to win in Punjab, where it should have benefitted from the anti-incumbency against the Akali Dal-led government and the cyclical change in government that has been taking place there. It has fared badly in Uttar Pradesh and just managed to be ahead by one seat in Uttarakhand wherein too it should have gained from the anti-incumbency factor. The sole exception has been its outright victory in Manipur. But this has no wider significance given the abnormal and specific conditions prevailing there.

Part of this failure can be attributed to the people’s discontent against price rise and corruption for which they hold the Congress-led UPA government at the centre responsible.

The victory of the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh is remarkable. The verdict is not only against the Mayawati government, but the people have rejected the BJP and the Congress too. The BJP in particular has failed to make any headway.

The results show also that the BJP is not seen as a credible alternative to the Congress. Apart from its performance in UP, the BJP lost in Uttarkhand and its seats have been reduced in Punjab.

The CPI(M) has performed poorly in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. This underlines the need to strengthen the Party, its mass activities and organisation in these two states.