It was not free, fair election, says D. Raja on Maha polls

New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS) D. Raja, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), on Saturday, shared his insights on the evolving political landscape following significant developments in Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly polls and remarked that it was not a free and fair election in Maharashtra.

"It is not just the question of EVMs, as far as Maharashtra is concerned, there was no free and fair election. Because during the election campaign, according to a viral video some BJP leader was seen distributing money and the Election Commission did not take any action," said D. Raja.

He also spoke about Wayanad, the parliamentary constituency that was vacated by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, necessitating the bypoll there.

The only talking point during the campaign was whether Priyanka Gandhi could surpass her brother's impressive 2019 victory margin of 4.30 lakh votes. Although she fell slightly short, she still achieved a remarkable win, securing the seat with a margin of over 4.10 lakh votes. Her dynamic campaign, focussed on grassroots issues, underscored her growing influence within the Congress.

D. Raja told IANS, "Wayanad has traditionally been a stronghold of the United Democratic Front (UDF), the Congress party. With Rahul Gandhi stepping aside, Priyanka Gandhi led the charge there with remarkable results."

Shifting his focus to Maharashtra, where very early in the day trends suggested a favourable outcome for the BJP and its allies, D. Raja said, "The trends indicated that the BJP and its alliance were heading towards a win in Maharashtra. While Congress leaders were initially hopeful, the results moved against them. Congress leaders are now beginning to accept this disappointment. After Haryana, the Congress was still optimistic, but the ground reality in Maharashtra is a different story."

Commenting on Jharkhand, D. Raja remarked, "In Jharkhand, the JMM and Congress alliance's performance reflects the people’s disillusionment with the BJP's campaign methods. The BJP's reliance on divisive narratives, such as raising the issue of infiltration, and the deployment of central agencies like the ED against Opposition leaders, has been exposed as a political ploy. These tactics have not convinced the voters."

"The use of government agencies for political advantage and the low-level campaigning by BJP leaders, including the Prime Minister and Home Minister, have backfired in some regions. People are beginning to see through these strategies," D. Raja concluded

--IANS

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