‘Bahujan Left Front is Providing an Alternative to TRS and Mahakutami’

Ahead of the Assembly elections in Telangana, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)- [CPI(M)] floated Bahujan Left Front (BLF) is projecting itself as an alternative force to the established political parties, which have earlier ruled undivided Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Out of the total 119 constituencies, the newly-formed coalition has announced its candidates in 60, and the remaining list of candidates will be finalised by the first week of November, said Tammineni Veerabhadram, CPI(M) secretary, Telangana state.

“As earlier announced, we are committed to our promise of making a backward caste leader as the chief minister and a woman candidate as the deputy chief minister, if we come to power. Bahujan Left Front’s main agenda in these elections is social justice and overall development of Telangana,” Veerabhadram told Newsclick.

Read More: Telangana Elections: Triangular Fight?

Taking on the different parties in the contest, he said that the parties - Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Congress, Telugu Desam Party and Bharatiya Janata Party -- have been anti-people in their economic policies during their regimes. On the other side, he said, “Bahujan Left Front, if it forms the government, will bring in new policies for the uplift of all sections of people by providing equal opportunities in political, social and cultural sectors.”

Elections in the state are scheduled to be held on December 7. The ruling TRS party is pitted against Mahakutami -- an alliance of Congress, TDP, Telangana Jana Samithi and CPI, and the BLF, comprising CPI(M) and 27 other Left and Bahujan organisations. While AIMIM (All India Majlees-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen) and the BJP are contesting separately, political analysts have argued that the TRS party has made an internal pact with AIMIM and a “shadowed” pact with the BJP, as the ruling party has fielded weaker candidates in the constituencies where AIMIM and BJP have a stronghold.

SC/ST MLA Candidates

“Setting a new trend, the BLF has nominated SC and ST MLA candidates in unreserved constituencies and 60 seats will be contested by candidates from other backward castes,” Veerabhadram said. Criticising the ruling TRS government, he added that the government has left behind majority of its promises made during the 2014 elections.

Read More: Ahead of Assembly Polls, Political Scene Heats up in Telangana 

The formation of BLF  is being seen as a progressive political experiment in the country, claimed MD Ghouse, MCPI(U) [Marxist Communist Party of India (United)] leader. “The BLF was formed with an aim for social justice and creating equal opportunities for SC, ST, OBC, minorities and the poor communities. The coalition will thrive to fight communal forces, strengthen public sector institutions and uphold democratic rights,” Ghouse said in an interview. MCPI(U) is one of the parties in BLF.