People's Democracy

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CPI(M) Improves Position in Local Polls

Tikender Singh Panwar

HIMACHAL PRADESH witnessed elections to the panchayats and urban local bodies. While the panchayat polls took place in three phases --- on December 28 and 30 and on January 1 --- urban local bodies went to the polls on January 3, 2011. Party symbols were allowed only in urban bodies, elections to the three-tier rural local bodies --- for the gram panchayats, block panchayats and the zila panchayats --- took place on the symbols allotted by the State Election Commission. The CPI(M) concentrated its efforts on the zila panchayats (Zila Parishads) and contested in a few urban bodies.

The results were declared on January 4 and those for the tribal district of Kinnaur on January 7, 2011, as the elections here were postponed because of heavy snowfall during the election process. The election results have been quite encouraging for the Left and democratic forces. Immediately after the elections both the major parties --- the Congress and the BJP --- started claiming that 75 per cent of the results had gone in their favour, but by the time of writing these lines no district was able to elect the presidents and vice presidents of the zila parishads. This shows the hollowness of their claims.

WHAT THE

RESULTS SHOW

Since the elections were not held on party symbols, it is easy for both these parties to make exaggerated claims. Yet the estimate is that non-Congress and non-BJP candidates, including independents and Left candidates, have won in 50 per cent of the total seats. The ruling BJP has got a severe drubbing in the urban bodies; it has received a severe jolt even in the home district of the chief minister. In the urban bodies too, independent candidates have won in a number of places. The CPI(M) has substantially improved its position. CPI(M) members or those who were supported by the party have won seats in over 15 district panchayats (Zila Parishads), over 25 block panchayats (BDC members) and more than 75 positions of panchayat presidents and vice presidents. The figure for the Left parties, taken together, may go still higher. The results have proved that the CPI(M) occupies the third position in the party politics in Himachal Pradesh. CPI(M) candidates have polled more than 1.5 lakh votes in the state. The table below gives a list of the elected representatives in the state.

Another important noteworthy feature of these elections was that wherever the people were in struggle against the neo-liberal policies or fought for their land, forests rights and water, or wherever they fought against the hydro projects, forest mafia, cement plants etc, they almost completely wiped out of the pro-company or pro-government representatives. In many of these struggles, the CPI(M) was in the leadership and while some others were led by regional associations. A vibrant example is related to the Kashang hydro project in Kinnaur district where the entire panel of the CPI(M) got elected against the HCC company that is constructing the said hydro project. Similarly, in the Lafarge cement factory, the leadership was provided by a regional body that has badly defeated the pro-company lobby. Another example of a magnificent victory has been that of a CPI(M) nominee, Reena in Anandpur ward of a Zila Parishad. She who won by a margin of more than 3,000 votes. Here the issue was of the struggle of the peasantry against the menace of wild animals, monkeys, stray cattle etc. In totality, it can be stated that nominees of both the BJP and the Congress got a severe drubbing for having who stood against the interests of the people and siding with the government policies or with the companies that are executing various hydro projects and cement plants.

ISSUES DURING

THE ELECTIONS

In the main, regional issue dominated the panchayat elections. As already stated in these columns earlier, a contradiction developing in the state is between the so called development and the snatching of the people’s rights. The issues included that of opposition to various hydro projects and cement plants, compensation amounts, rehabilitation and relief packages for the displaced. The situation is that the state has an immense potential of hydro power generation and the realisable capacity may well be above 23,000 megawatts (MW) but only 305 MW capacity has been harnessed so far. On the other hand, successive governments have been selling the rivers and rivulets to private entrepreneurs who have hardly any concern for the people’s traditional rights and their demands. This gives an immense opportunity for the forces representing the people’s interests, especially the CPI(M), to intervene. The latter’s intervention in favour of the people has been reflected in these elections as well.

The other issues include the persistent crisis the peasants are facing because of the neo-liberal policies. The precarious situation of the peasants has led to large scale migration from their land as farming is becoming increasingly non-remunerative. Issues like the sale of Gumma Agro Packaging India Limited, a carton plant, became prominent in the apple belt. Here the BJP got almost totally wiped out from the scene.

The issue of wild animals, monkeys, stray cattle etc also dominated a large part of the state. It is estimated that at least 10 districts are affected with this menace. A fair estimation of the loss because of the problem comes to almost Rs 2,000 crore per year. The Himachal Kisan Sabha (HKS) and the Himachal Gyan Vigyan Samiti (HGVS) have been running a persistent protest campaign on this issue, under the banner of the Kheti Bachao Sangarsh Samiti (Save Agriculture Struggle Committee). Several demonstrations with massive participation of the kisans (peasants) have been organised in the past. This was thus a conscious and persisting issue. People, who were actively participating in this movement, have not surprisingly been elected. A large number of them are from the HKS and HGVS.

Another issue that has come to light is that of large scale corruption in the panchayati raj institutions (PRIs). Related to it has been the entry into fray of a large number of people who are contractors in the countryside. They also spent huge amounts of money during the elections. In many a place, a candidate organised dhams (feasts) immediately after the day of nomination and this vote catching device continued till the polling began. Similarly, providing liquor and other allurements became a common phenomenon. It is in this background that the CPI(M) has declared that none of its elected members would engage in contractors work in the areas from where they have been elected.

The CPI(M) has also decided to organise a statewide workshop for its elected members, with help from the Kerela and West Bengal state units of the party, so that they could adopt alternative forms and styles of work in the countryside.

          W = Woman candidate