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Bengal’s key Left face on a sticky wicket amid four-cornered contest in Raiganj
In 2014, he won by a very thin margin of 1,634 votes from the Congress bastion of Raiganj that the country’s oldest party won 11 of the 15 Lok Sabha elections from 1952 to 2009.
Md Salim, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate in West Bengal’s Raiganj parliamentary constituency, is perhaps facing the toughest battle in the state which sends 42 members to the Lok Sabha.
In 2014, he won by a very thin margin of 1,634 votes from the Congress bastion of Raiganj that the country’s oldest party won 11 of the 15 Lok Sabha elections from 1952 to 2009. Political analysts are predicting a photo finish this year too as over the past five years both the ruling Trinamool Congress and emerging opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have made significant inroads in this constituency.
Salim, who has a degree in philosophy and can speak fluently in Bengali, English, Urdu and Hindi, is one of the most articulate Left faces in the Lok Sabha. He has utilised 95% of released MPLAD (Members of Parliament Local Area Development) funds and attended 85% of the Lok Sabha sessions, during which he participated in 85 debates and asked 97 questions.
“I visited Raiganj almost every weekend. Often, they were extended weekends. In addition, whenever I went to north Bengal for party work, I made it a point to go to Raiganj,” said Salim, who picked up a never-say-die attitude in his school days, when he dreamt of being a football striker.
“In terms of implementing (MPLAD) projects, we had a three-tier system for follow-up, monitoring and coordination with the district administration,” the 61-year-old leader said.
Except for him, other members of Parliament from opposition parties in the state have struggled to spend their MPLAD funds. Congress lawmaker Adhir Chowdhury used 61.5% of released funds and the CPI(M)’s other MP in the state Badaruddoza Khan utilised 62.16% of the money. The BJP’s leader and Union minister Babul Supriyo spent 72% out of the fund.
Everyone has alleged that the district administration, which is the implementing authority for projects recommended by MPs, did not cooperate with opposition leaders.
“I, too, faced hurdles but never eased pressure on the administration,” said Salim.
Despite his performance as an MP, Salim has a formidable challenge ahead.
Raiganj has an almost equal share of Hindu and Muslim population. In a four-cornered contest, the BJP is hoping that the Muslim votes would be split between the Left, Congress and Trinamool, and they will be able to win by grabbing the majority of Hindu votes.
Political analysts say bagging 30% votes could be enough for clinching the seat. In 2014, Salim bagged only 29% votes, while his nearest rival Congress’ Deepa Dasmunshi, got 28.5%. The BJP and Trinamool received 18.32% and 17.39% votes respectively.
Salim is the only Muslim candidate from the constituency.
The Trinamool Congress has fielded MLA and civic-body-chief Kanaia Lal Agarwal. The Congress has nominated Deepa Dasmunsi, former MP (2009-2014) and wife of late Congress leader Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, and the BJP has given the ticket to Deboshree Choudhury, one of its state unit’s general secretaries.
“People will vote against the TMC government’s injustice on the Hindus. They also want to reelect (Narendra) Modi the Prime Minister again. The CPI(M) has no relevance here,” said Choudhury.
Psephologist Biswanath Chakraborty, however, thinks that Muslim votes could polarise as well.
“Since the word is spreading that BJP could win the seat due to split in Muslim votes, there is a high possibility of Muslims choosing a candidate who is viewed as the BJP’s strongest rival,” Chakraborty said.
Going by past records, Dasmunsi is a formidable opponent. Agarwal would have the advantage of the ruling party machinery working for him.
The BJP is highlighting the death of two people at Darivit High School in Islampur of North Dinajpur district in the September 2018 police firing on agitators, who were allegedly demanding science teachers for the school and not an Urdu teacher who was appointed.
Since then, the BJP and the entire Sangh Parivar have their focus set on Raiganj in the same district. Choudhury visited the place several times over the past one year and started her campaign from Darivit High School.
The CPI(M), Congress and Trinamool are identifying the BJP as the principal opponent.
Voting will be held in the Raiganj parliamentary constituency on April 18, the second of the seven-phase Lok Sabha election. The result will be declared on May 23.
