People's Democracy

HIMACHAL PRADESH

CPI(M) Intensifies Election Campaign

 Tikender Singh Panwar

THE state of Himachal Pradesh would go to the second and final stage of elections on December 19 for the 65 assembly seats out of a total of 68 in the state assembly. Apart from the Congress, BJP, the CPI(M) and the CPI are the major parties contesting the elections. The BSP is also contesting on all the assembly seats of the state, a large number of their candidates are either rebel BJP or Congress men. The results would be declared on the December 28, 2007. Here it may be mentioned that the actual dates for the elections would have fallen somewhere in February 2008. The three MLAs from the tribal region filed a writ petition in the High Court as their period as members of the legislative assembly used to get curtailed by six months (elections for the tribal seats used to be held in June due to heavy snowfall during the winter period). All three MLAs belong to the Congress party. The High Court asked the Election Commission to intervene and find a solution. The EC consulted all the political parties and asked for their suggestion. The CPI(M) and also all other parties said that the elections should be held in the last months of this year so that the election could be held for the three tribal region seats simultaneously. It is because of this reason that the elections to the state were, in a way, advanced by almost three months.

 The CPI(M) is contesting the following seven assembly seats:

Constituency            Candidate

Shimla                       Sanjay Chauhan
Arki                            Ram Krishan 
Anni(SC)                    Ramesh Chand
Banjar                         Narayan Chauhan
Chachiot                    Jagdish Thakur
Dharamshalla           Kapoor Sing Supahya
Sulah                          Satpal Thakur

The CPI(M) tried to form an alliance with the CPI. The CPI is also contesting seven seats. But in Arki, despite the fact that a formula was worked out, of contesting one seat in each district, the CPI is contesting two in Solan district, with a contest with CPI(M) in Arki.

The CPI(M) has been in the forefront in the struggles of people of the state . The CPI(M)  is giving a tough contest in a number of assembly segments namely, Shimla, Anni, Arki and Banjar.

In Shimla, Sitaram Yechury inaugurated the election campaign on November 23 in Kali Bari Hall where more than 400 activists and sympathisers of CPI(M)  participated. The nomination for the Shimla seat was filed on November 28, 2007 in which more than 3000 people participated. This was the culmination of the first round of campaign. The second phase started from November 29, 2007. Person to person contact was established in the whole constituency. On December 10, 2007 a mass rally was held in Shimla in Subzi Mandi ground in which CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI(M) Punjab state secretary Balwant Singh participated. This meeting was held in  extremely bad climatic condition. Intermittent snow was falling during the meeting as well. Despite this, the people stood and heard the leaders.

Massive and intensive campaign is being held in the town of Shimla, in which street corner meetings and street plays are staged. This phase would end on December 15, when again a mass rally would be organised which will be addressed by Sitaram Yechury and Mohd Yusuf Tarigami.

There is a definite undercurrent against the ruling Congress party and its ruinous policies. But, at the same time, there is also no popular pro-BJP wave which can sweep the state. The BSP which is a newcomer shall also play an important role as it is contesting all the seats and as already mentioned a large number of their candidates are rebel BJP and Congress men.