Lessons for secular forces from Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir: CPI(M)

The contrasting results of the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assembly polls provide "valuable lessons" for the secular forces in the struggle against the BJP in the days to come, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said on Wednesday, 9 October.

In a statement, the Politburo of the CPI(M) said the Congress needs to introspect, while claiming that the BJP won in Haryana due to "micro-caste mobilisation and insidious communal propaganda".

The Congress lost in Haryana despite 10 years of anti-incumbency against the BJP. The Congress–National Conference alliance won in Jammu and Kashmir, though the Congress could get only 6 seats out of over 30 it contested, while the NC won 42.

"The contrasting results thrown up by Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana state elections, the resounding success in Jammu and Kashmir and the unexpected setback in the latter, provide valuable lessons for secular forces in the struggle against BJP in the days to come," CPI(M) said.

"In Haryana, the BJP managed to secure a majority of seats in a close fight with the Congress, but with a narrow margin of 0.6 per cent vote share over Congress. Its success is marked by micro-caste mobilisation and insidious communal propaganda. The Congress will have to introspect as to the other factors responsible for this verdict," it said.

Talking about the Jammu and Kashmir assembly poll results, the CPI(M) said the people have rejected the BJP.

"In Jammu & Kashmir, the National Conference and its allies won a comfortable majority to form the first elected government after six years of central government’s authoritarian rule.

"The unambiguous mandate of the people in Jammu and Kashmir is a rebuff to the machinations of the BJP central government to scuttle the democratic aspirations of the people through abrogation of Article 370, abolition of statehood through bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories and the manipulative delimitation of the constituencies," the party said.

The CPI(M) also congratulated the people of Kulgam constituency in Jammu and Kashmir for electing party candidate Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami for the fifth time.