The Hindu : Karnataka News : Janapara Rajakiya Ranga throws its hat in the ring; to field 50 candidates

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Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Janapara Rajakiya Ranga throws its hat in the ring; to field 50 candidates

Muralidhara Khajane

We floated the front only after CPI(M) decided to stay away: Devanuru Mahadev

He says
It is a struggle between democracy and the mining and the real estate mafia
The results will indicate the future of the polity in the State

MYSORE: Efforts to forge a “fourth front” in Karnataka by likeminded democratic and secular forces has yielded result. Janapara Rajakiya Ranga, a combine of Sarvodaya Karnataka Party, Communist Party of India (CPI), Forward Bloc, Republican Party of India, is all set to field its candidates now.

According to Sarvodaya Karnataka Party president and Janapara Rajakiya Ranga convener Devanuru Mahadeva, the ranga will field its candidates in 50 of the 224 Assembly constituencies.

Progressive and democratic forces decided to form the ranga almost a year ago. Initially, they thought of limiting the front to social struggles and had decided against entering politics. However, with mounting pressure, the leaders decided to float the front and contest in the election. The process of forming the front got delayed because of a yearning to rope in the Communist Party of India (Marxist). However, the CPI(M) decided to stay away and “we decided to float the front only after confirming that the CPI(M) will not join us,” Mr. Mahadev said.

The front has taken this election seriously, as, according to Mr. Mahadev, it [election] will decide whether democracy is a saleable commodity or not and the results will indicate the future course of the polity.

Mr. Mahadev, a writer who is in the forefront of the Dalit movement, is not a silent spectator of the on-goings in the polity. To answer his conscience, he chose an active role in forming the front, he said and added that he will campaign for the ranga candidates.

In an interview with The Hindu, Mr. Mahadev, who has developed an aversion to publicity, described the election as a struggle between people’s power and the mining and the real estate mafia. “Democracy will survive in case of people’s victory and if the mining and the real estate mafia wins, leading political parties will lose their identity as they will become the masks of the mafia. This election will be an indicator of the future of polity in the State,” he said.

“Vanquishing the mining and the real estate mafia will indicate that democracy is a commodity, otherwise it [democracy] will become farce. Earlier, politicians were buying electorates. Now with the mafia pumping in money, they have started shopping constituencies. With the mafia gaining the upper hand, democracy will become irrelevant,” he noted.

“Earlier, the education, the liquor, the sugar lobbies and industrialists used to control politics. They were remote-controlling the governments. Now, the tragedy is that the mining and the real estate mafia has coming to the fore and is trying to usurp power. Political parties have become masks for them. This started when Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janata Party came together by reneging their promises made to the people. Now it is time for the people to decide, whether they want democracy or a rule by the mining and the real estate mafia?” he said.

Mr. Mahadev is depressed with the apathy of the intellectual class to politics. “They have become silent, when democracy is facing a threat with the sword of Damocles hanging over the Vidhana Soudha. It is a universal phenomenon among the good. However, the silence of the intellectuals will prove costly, if they [intellectuals] fail to act now,” he said.

The front has decided to contest in 50 constituencies and has resolved to support secular forces, which are not the masks of mafia, in the rest of the constituencies in view of protecting democracy, he said. “Despite pressure, we are limiting our candidates, in view of making the front’s presence effective,” he said.

Asked about the front’s manifesto, he said that political parties have demeaned manifestos over the years. It was an eye wash. However, a committee headed by CPI State secretary Siddanagowda Patil is drafting a manifesto, “which will be realistic,” he added.

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