M.A. Baby, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), stated that while Left parties are pushing for a larger share of seats in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, they will approach negotiations within the Mahagathbandhan alliance with a ‘realistic and reasonable’ mindset.
During an interview, the CPI-M leader expressed his strong belief in a ‘resounding victory’ for the alliance. He cited a noticeable ‘spontaneous upsurge among people’ during the Mahagathbandhan’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra,’ which protested the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Discussions are currently underway regarding seat distribution within Bihar’s opposition Grand Alliance, also known as the Mahagathbandhan, for the upcoming Assembly polls. The CPI-M is a key constituent of this alliance.
Mr. Baby noted, ‘The enthusiastic response from the people, particularly the youth and women in Bihar, which I observed on July 9 and September 1, clearly indicates that the Mahagathbandhan is gaining significant momentum. There’s a strong likelihood of a resounding victory for our broad political coalition in Bihar.’
When questioned about the Left parties’ expectations for seat allocations, Mr. Baby asserted that they are entitled to more seats. He highlighted that the CPI-M, which contested four seats in the previous election, has already identified several constituencies where it has a strong presence.
Baby explained, ‘The Left parties certainly deserve more seats. I’ve had detailed discussions with Mr. Tejashwi Yadav in Patna, where we emphasized the importance of the Left contesting more seats, given our commendable performance in the last Assembly election.’
‘He acknowledged our position. However, this is a coalition. You see, various parties are naturally putting forward their claims. We aim to be highly realistic and reasonable in our demands. We want our significant grassroots support to be effectively represented in the upcoming electoral contest,’ he added.
‘I am hopeful that the Mahagathbandhan will reach an amicable agreement regarding the number of seats each alliance partner will contest,’ he stated.
During the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, the Left parties—comprising CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI-M, and CPI—demonstrated strong performance, securing 16 victories out of the 29 seats they collectively contested. Specifically, the CPI-M and CPI each won two seats from their respective four and six contested constituencies, while CPI(ML) Liberation achieved 12 wins out of 19 contests.
He elaborated, ‘In the last election, we clinched two seats and came very close to winning two more. Naturally, we are staking a claim on these four constituencies. We also previously highlighted our strengths in several other areas, which we will again present to Tejashwi Yadav, the Opposition Leader in Bihar. We are optimistic about securing a favorable agreement.’
Regarding the timeline for concluding seat-sharing discussions, Mr. Baby indicated that RJD leaders must take the lead. ‘We anticipate two to three rounds of discussions,’ he explained. ‘Initially, the RJD leader is expected to spearhead talks with all the participating political parties.’
‘The sequence of these discussions is up to Tejashwi Yadav himself. We have communicated to him that an early resolution would better enable us to connect with the voters. The Mahagathbandhan’s internal structure will guide their decision-making process,’ he affirmed.
Recently, the CPI(M) organized 11 constituency-level conventions across 10 districts between August 12 and 29.
Presently, CPI-M boasts MLAs representing the Vibhutipur constituency in Samastipur and Majhi in Saran. In 2020, they narrowly missed securing victories in two additional seats: Matihani (Begusarai) and Pipra (East Champaran).
The CPI-M’s State Committee has also outlined a second priority list of seven seats, including Purnea (Purnea District), Bisfi (Madhubani), Parbatta (Khagaria), Mehasi (Saharsa), Bahadurpur (Darbhanga), Nautan (West Champaran), and Mohiuddin Nagar (Samastipur).
Furthermore, the CPI-M General Secretary criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments about ‘infiltrators’ in Bihar, describing them as ‘unbecoming’ of a Prime Minister.
On Monday, September 15, Prime Minister Modi accused opposition parties of protecting undocumented immigrants. He claimed that infiltration was leading to a ‘demographic crisis’ in eastern states such as Bihar, Assam, and West Bengal, causing residents to worry ‘for the honour of their sisters and daughters.’
Mr. Baby pointed out that the BJP holds power at the Centre and is also part of the ruling coalition in Bihar.
‘The Prime Minister controls the Home Ministry, and his party supports and participates in the Bihar government,’ Mr. Baby remarked. ‘What have they been doing with their power in both Delhi and Patna? This appears to be “cheap political rhetoric” designed to incite communal polarization in society. Such statements from the Prime Minister are utterly irresponsible. If there are indeed foreigners, there are established legal procedures to identify them,’ he added.
‘Now, minorities are being labeled as foreigners, and Bengali-speaking minorities are being called Bangladeshis. This is an appalling situation that will inflict deep wounds upon our political fabric,’ he further stated.
‘Given that people are migrating from Bihar in search of employment and livelihood, to suggest that individuals are ‘infiltrating’ into Bihar is an inexplicable statement. I trust that the people of Bihar will recognize this,’ he concluded.
During the 2020 elections, the Grand Alliance, which at the time included the RJD, Congress, and Left parties, mounted a robust challenge but ultimately failed to secure a majority. Political analysts attributed this shortfall largely to the Congress party’s underwhelming performance.
The RJD emerged as the largest single party, capturing 75 out of the 144 seats it contested. In contrast, the Congress secured only 19 seats. The CPI(ML) Liberation was a standout performer, winning 12 of its 19 contests, while both the CPI and CPI-M each secured two seats.
Presently, the Grand Alliance comprises six parties: RJD, Congress, CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI, CPI-M, and the newly joined Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) led by Mukesh Sahni. Additionally, the Lok Janshakti Party (Paras faction) and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) are expected to join the coalition before the elections later this year.