In tribal-dominated Jhargram and Purulia districts of West Bengal, the BJP performed remarkably well in the recently concluded rural elections.
In at least one block in Jhargram, on the Bengal-Jharkhand border, the BJP left seats for a tribal outfit, Adivasi Samanvay Manch, backed by the outlawed CPI(Maoist).
BJP’s State president Dilip Ghosh acknowledged that they had a seat adjustment with the ASM. “We did not put up candidates where they [ASM] did, as we both were fighting the TMC to limit vote division. We know them [ASM] and may work together in future. But [we] do not have any formal understanding,” Mr. Ghosh said. He denied the allegation made by State Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress head Mamata Banerjee that the BJP is “closely working” with the Maoists.
“In earlier elections the TMC performed well in the area. Did they work with the Maoists,” asked Mr. Ghosh. Owing to the seat adjustment in at least three gram panchayats — Bhulaveda, Banshpahari and Shimulpal – in Binpur II block, the BJP and ASM managed to decimate the TMC.
Maoists’ appeal
Officials in the State intelligence confirmed that the Maoists made an appeal to the people to vote for the Independent candidates of ASM before the rural polls.
“They even put up posters. Some of their members were with the Maoists,” an official said. Veteran CPI(ML) leader from Jhargram, Niranjan Bera, too confirmed the information. “The ASM is backed by a powerful tribal organisation — Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal. The Maoists, too, made an appeal to back ASM,” he said.
Mukul Roy, former TMC leader who is now with the BJP, spent substantial time in the area before the election. He met the family members of Chhatradhar Mahato, who was arrested in 2009 by the CPI(M) government for alleged links with the Maoists.
The TMC came to power in 2011 but did not grant amnesty to Mr. Mahato, a popular leader, who was instrumental in developing a base for the party in the area.
In both Jhargram and Purulia districts, the TMC’s performance dipped.
TMC’s ‘poor’ show
In Jhargram, the BJP bagged 329 [42%] seats. It is far higher than the BJP’s State average of 18% of contested seats. The TMC, on the other hand, got 48% of seats in Jhargram as compared to its State average of 66% at the gram panchayat level. Jhargram has nearly 30% tribal population compared to the State’s average of about 6%.
In Purulia, which has about 20% tribal population, the BJP bagged 33% as compared to the TMC’s 43% seats. Minister of Backward Classes Welfare Churamani Mahato admitted that the TMC’s performance in the tribal districts was “disappointing”.“Despite the good work, the results [in tribal areas] have been disappointing. Some of our leaders fought among themselves, while many contested as Independent,candidates” he said.
