Page 23 - English Tehelka Issue 6 - March 31, 2018

Tripura results: Left needs is exception to it. It is opposed to How Tripura was won same dangerous path has been cho-

The battle in Tripura was far from
the unipolar nature of politics and
sen by the BJP. Bizarrely, many of
the characters in this dance of death
being fair. The media ignored all
is taking clear ideological position
to brace for change on economic and political issues. instances of violations of election- are the same. As Young men they
were part of Congress or TNV/TUJS
Unlike Congress and other political
laws and bending of rules. Not a
parties, it opposes policies of liber-
single report was published on how and served as their storm-troopers
alization and globalization in an
There were also no news on the use they have joined the BJP or the
unambiguous term. This is the only much money BJP spent in the polls. to spread terror in the 1980s. Now,
Despite converting a troubled state into a well-managed province, the Left could not portray block which is also fiercely opposed of religion, caste or other identi- IPFT (Indigenous People’s Front of
Tripura) and are planning to repeat
ties to mobilize the voters. The Su-
to communal politics and hardly
itself in the correct spotlight to counter the BJP’s maligning campaign, anil sinha writes shows any deviation. preme Court has prohibited it and those nightmarish days,” alleges the
This is in contrast to what Con- the Election Commission has been CPI(M).
gress and other parties do. They reminding political parties to obey Ironically, no TV channel or
ith just two Lok state too gives a glimpse of it. The duo show ample political opportunism the verdict. Despite the fact that the newspaper highlighted the fact that
Sabha seats, Tripura roped in dozens of central ministers and are often soft on Hindutva or BJP not only worked out a poll alli- militant nationalists who were ef-
hardly matters in and leaders to campaign in the state minority communalism. The recent ance based on ethnic identities but fectively marginalized by the CPI(M)
the parliamentary and ensured that the RSS should be example of Congress’ soft Hindutva also appealed to voters to vote on government have revived them-
W arithmetic of the active in the region with all its might. could be been seen in Rahul Gan- the basis of it, the Election Commis- selves by their alliance with the BJP.
country. Senior Rashtriya Janata Dal Tripura has done A close look at the politics of the dhi’s wandering in Hindu temples There are enough indications that
leader and former MP Shivanand extremely well country would only reveal that it of Gujarat and Karnataka. This am- IPFT will raise its demand of sepa-
Tiwari questions the hype around has, by and large, become unipolar in biguity in its policies explains why The state rate state of Tipraland and revive
the recent victory of the BJP in the on most Human more than one way. The consensus its cadres switch over to BJP so eas- its secessionist demands. This may
North-East on this ground, saying Development on economic policies among most ily. It is easy for an ordinary leader witnessed large- allow social tension between tribal
that the results would hardly have of the mainstream political parties of the Congress, Samajwadi Party scale violence in and non-tribal populations to resur-
any impact on the poll outcome of Indices. testifies it. There is hardly any differ- or other mainstream political par- face. The state could witness clash
2019. But the manner in which the ence among them on the policies of ties to switchover to the BJP. They do the 1980s and between tribals and the Bengalis as
outcome of the keenly-contested Employment for liberalization and globalization. The not feel any hesitation in speaking has been the case in the past.
assembly election has been hyped educated youth direct implication of this situation is the language of Hindutva. Though, could only recover It is clear that the BJP has adopt-
points to the political significance of that the corporate sector is guiding of late, Rahul Gandhi has started from it in the ed the same tactics which it has
the victory for the BJP. The despera- was the only front the articulation of political discourse criticizing economic policies, how adopted in Jammu and Kashmir
tion shown by Prime Minister Nar- where the state in the country. The Left Front — much change he is likely to bring nineties under where the party chose to join hands
endra Modi and BJP President Amit CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Block in Congress’ economic policies is a Left rule with the PDP which has been sup-
Shah for winning the tiny border failed — is the only political block which matter of speculation. The thinking porting separatists. Both in J&K and
of Congress is still guided by per- Tripura, Ram Madhav, the RSS rep-
sons like Manmohan Singh and P sion or the media did not take any resentative in the BJP, has played an
• Popularity Chidambaram. They are unlikely to notice of it. important role in formulating these
grows The change their stance. What Rahul is Tripura has a turbulent past. alliances.
recent BJP propagating might be a liberal face The state was witness to large scale It is clear that change of guard in
victories of these economic policies. violence in 1980s and could only re- Tripura will affect the state in many
point to Its opposition to the economic cover from it in the nineties under ways. What would be its repercus-
the rising policies and its unenviable posi- the Left rule. Nripen Chakraborty sion on national politics and on
political tion as the champion of the cause and Manik Sarkar as chief ministers 2019 elections is also not difficult to
significance of oppressed and marginalized sec- worked hard to restore the state to assess. If the poll result has now ex-
of the party tions of society — Dalits, minorities, complete normalcy. They were able posed the state to accelerated ten-
farmers and workers — make the to marginalize the separatist outfits sion and breakdown of hard earned
Left a relevant political force of the and insurgent tribal groups. social harmony, it has opened the
country. This is why the Left is the “All this has happened before in door of realignment of political
main enemy of the Right. So, Tripu- Tripura. In the mid-1980s, it was the forces in the national politics.
ra had to be “freed” or Kerala has to Congress which, in a desperate bid As far as the national politics and
be “freed” in order to demolish the to dislodge the Left Front in 1988 the coming Lok Sabha polls are con-
ideology which talks of providing Assembly Elections, allied with the cerned, the BJP will certainly try to
an alternative to the “Sabka Saath tribal group, TUJS (Tripura Upjati imitate its style of campaigning and
Sabka Vikas” model of development, Samiti), a front for the violent and other aspects of its poll strategy. Ob-
which ironically has a clear bias in separatist TNV (Tripura National viously, this style is in contrast to the
favour of the corporates. Volunteers). This time round, the political norms of the country.

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