The Hindu : National / Elections 2004 : No Mayawati to champion their interests here

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Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004

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National - Elections 2004

No Mayawati to champion their interests here

The exit of Ram Vilas Paswan is bound to impact on the NDA's chances in this election, writes K. Balchand

Though plagued by illiteracy and backwardness, the Dalits are, significantly, the most complex electoral factor in Bihar. The Dalits in Bihar are quite unique, unlike, say in Uttar Pradesh, which has the Bahujan Samaj Party to champion their interests; no political leader or party can stake sole claim to leadership of the Dalits in the State.

The key electoral players in the State are the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief, Laloo Prasad Yadav, his new found ally, the Lok Janshakti Party chief, Ram Vilas Paswan, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), the two naxalite outfits, the People's War and the Maoist Communist Centre India), which have called for a poll boycott, and the Ranvir Sena, the private army of the feudal landlords, which influences the Dalits' voting pattern. These players will have a major role in deciding the poll outcome in the State's 40 constituencies, including the seven reserved for the Scheduled Castes in the State.

The Gaya constituency is typical of the Dalit situation in the State. It was once a bastion of the Congress, as were the other six reserved seats, when the former Deputy Prime Minister, Jagjivan Ram, who represented neighbouring Sasaram, was regarded as the leading light of Bihar. Today, the party has been marginalised here as in the rest of the State.

The socialists too had flourished under the leadership of the late Karpoori Thakur. Mr. Yadav, the RJD leader, took over his mantle, though Mr. Paswan had sought to force the issue even during Mr. Thakur's lifetime by forming the Dalit Sena. Mr. Paswan has since emerged as the leader of the Dussadh community.

In Bihar, the Scheduled Castes account for almost 15 per cent of the electorate; the extremely backward castes, numbering almost 100 communities, account for over 30 per cent. Though its presence will be felt in some constituencies bordering Uttar Pradesh, the BSP is not a major player in the State. Its presence here is, however, seen as detrimental to the RJD's prospects.

Conversely, the BSP's presence will be in the Bharatiya Janata Party's interest as it is expected to poll the upper caste votes in addition to that of the community to which its candidate belongs. Upper caste unity and the presence of Mr. Paswan saw the BJP and its allies pick up six of the seven reserved seats in 1999. The BJP is sure to miss Mr. Paswan this time.

The Ranbir Sena's activities in the Konch assembly segment of this parliamentary seat, has upset the other castes, which have reportedly closed ranks, threatening to vote against the BJP. The BJP will have to deal with the Ranbir Sena, one way or another. For instance, in Ara, the Ranbir Sena chief, Brameshwar Singh, himself is in the fray, gobbling up a chunk of the Bhumihar votes.

The very mention of the Ranbir Sena links of any candidate is sure to bring about Dalit unity, which might impact on the NDA's chances. This factor might affect the prospects of the NDA nominees in most constituencies of the Magadh and Patna divisions.

Meanwhile, the two naxalite outfits, through their boycott call, are causing concern to all political parties. During the recent by-election in the Barachatti Assembly segment of the Gaya seat, the boycott call was implemented in about 30 booths.

The RJD won the Assembly seat but charged that it had lost the Gaya Lok Sabha seat in 1999 because of the boycott call as many of its supporters could not vote. The PW has maintained that it would target the BJP this time and prevent it from campaigning in areas where it dominates. This is another factor that might work to the NDA's disadvantage.

The CPI (ML) general secretary, Deepankar Bhattacharya, is hoping that the two ultra left-wing organisations do not damage the party's cause in constituencies like Ara and Aurangabad — to name a couple — taking their cue from the PW leader, Arvind Kumar's, statement that no left party could be treated as revisionist just for participating in the democratic process.

Thanks to these forces and the presence of Mr. Yadav and Mr. Paswan, the Dalits are not as marginalised as they once were when they were not even allowed to vote. Even though it was during the RJD's regime that the Ranbir Sena was born, the fact remains that the feudal landlords were forced to raise their private army only when the Dalits started getting bolder in their demands for economic and social emancipation. Today, despite the fact that they continue to be exploited, the Dalits are a significant political factor in the State.

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