How are the Left parties faring in the elections?
We have done well in Kerala where we hope to win a majority of seats. In Tripura, Left should win both the seats. In West Bengal, the main problem is the efforts of Trinamool Congress to rig the elections. In the third round of polling, there was widespread rigging, booth capturing and physical attacks on voters. Despite this, where there was peaceful polling, we expect to do well. Our performance will be better than in 2009.
BJP seems to be doing well riding on a Modi wave?
The election so far has shown a strong anti-Congress trend. I think this is sought to be misleadingly depicted as a Modi wave. The trend will not necessarily benefit BJP. There are other non-Congress secular parties, including regional parties, which are going to gain. Where the fight is bipolar— between Congress and BJP —BJP would gain. I cannot say yet if BJP will emerge as the single largest party.
Is the rise of BJP helping the Left in Bengal?
I don't see it in those terms. The advent of Trinamool has brought in communal politics in Bengal. That Trinamool Congress, Congress and BJP are in the fray may result in the Left Front gaining in some of the seats.
What is the prospect of a secular alternative post-elections?
Post-poll, depending on the result, non-Congress secular parties would be able to come together to provide a secular alternative. With elections reaching the final stage, it has become clear that Congress has lost ground. So, the focus now shifts, I think, to efforts that should be made to prevent BJP and its allies from forming a government. With a range of parties, including AIADMK and JD(U), we didn't expect pre-election alliances. The general understanding we arrived at was to come together after the elections. None of the parties that met pre-election with the intention to form a postpoll alternative has made alliance with Congress or BJP.
0 comments:
Post a Comment