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| Edited By: Dhaval Kulkarni |Source: DNA |Updated: Apr 08, 2019, 06:10 AM IST
The Communist Party of India (CPI-Marxist) might have faced reverses in legislative politics, but has traditionally punched much above its weight. The party, which has just one representative in the state assembly (Jiva Pandu Gavit from Kalwan-Surgana), has a presence in the tribal areas of Nashik, Solapur city and parts of Palghar. The CPI-M has decided to field Gavit from the Dindori Lok Sabha seat against the BJP's Dr Bharati Pawar and the NCP's Dhanraj Mahale.
Speaking to DNA's Dhaval Kulkarni, Ashok Dhawale, CPI-M central committee member, said Prakash Ambedkar's Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), may cut into the "secular vote" and help the BJP- Shiv Sena. He charged the Congress-NCP of being opportunist by denying the CPI-M the Dindori seat. This led to the CPI-M's plans for an alliance with them falling through. Edited excerpts:
Our stance in Maharashtra is clear. We are fighting from Dindori. In Solapur, we are supporting Prakash Ambedkar, while in Palghar, we are with the BVA. In other constituencies, we will support those candidates who are best poised to defeat the BJP and Shiv Sena. Our workers will determine the position to be taken in the two constituencies that the Communist Party of India (CPI) is the fray (Parbhani and Shirdi).
This will include the issues raised by us in the farmers long march (in 2017). Dindori is a predominantly rural area and hence, loan waivers, remunerative pricing, implementation of the forest rights act, entitlements like the public distribution system, employment, health and education, will be on our agenda. JP Gavit will highlight local issues in respective areas.
We did not attempt an alliance with the VBA. We are not in agreement with their role in these elections as they are fighting a large number of seats and may divide the secular vote, helping the BJP- Shiv Sena. They are also allied with the AIMIM (led by Hyderabad's Owaisi brothers), which is a Muslim fundamentalist party. We are supporting Ambedkar in Solapur as an individual, as a symbol of the struggle for social justice. Earlier, his party and the CPI-M, have fought together for Bhima-Koregaon, Rohit Vemula and against Dalit atrocities. Hence, we are supporting Prakash Ambedkar in Solapur, though we don't agree with his political ideologies.
Initially, the Congress and the NCP had approached us, and we sought the Dindori seat in return. Eventually, they did not leave the seat for us and announced the nomination of a candidate, who till two months ago, was with the Shiv Sena. This was opportunism with a vengeance. This led to the NCP's 2014 candidate Dr Bharati Pawar defecting to the BJP.
In Dindori, we are fighting to win. Gavit is one of the tallest farmer leaders in the state, his reach is not just limited to his constituency but across the state because of the long march.
This is true. In many constituencies, it is practically happening. The VBA has only a handful of strong candidates, it might have a marginal impact elsewhere. Congress and NCP must have taken the initiative to take along the main players. If they had gone with us to Dindori, it could have led to a one-on-one fight. (The VBA's stance) has not been conducive to the secular struggle. The VBA has also fielded a candidate against us at Dindori, but we have taken a mature decision to support Prakash Ambedkar in Solapur, and this support is unconditional.
We have been contesting from Palghar and even fought the 2018 by-elections. Our presence would have helped the Shiv Sena, which has adopted the BJP's incumbent MP (Rajendra Gavit) in an act of opportunism.
