For the first time in 10 years, the CPI and the CPI(M) will contest the Lok Sabha elections on their own in Uttar Pradesh, since talks with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) to forge alliances have failed.
The last time they fought elections independently was in 1984. Despite having a strong presence in the state, the two parties forged electoral alliances since 1989, first with the Janata Dal and then with SP. The platforms they chose were the Mandal Commission recommendations and anti-communalism. However, since then, they have consistently lost ground.
The CPI was strong in Bundelkhand, Faizabad, Ghazipur and many other places in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Both the parties had a strong presence in the Varanasi division, while the CPI was strong in Bijnore and in the hills.
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During the last elections, the parties jointly polled less then one per cent of the votes, mainly because they had contested very few seats in the state. However, there was a steady decline in their influence until the CPI(M) surrendered the Kanpur Lok Sabha seat.
According to party leaders, this was because the party had lost its identity to its poll allies. "We fought elections on other parties' planks," the leaders said.
Finally, the parties ceased to appeal to the voter as communists.
For the voter, the Left parties had lost relevance since for issues like reservation, which was their main poll plank in the past, the emerging casteist parties were a better option.
For instance, the CPI was strong among the landless and the Kurmi peasants in Bundelkhand. However, the party lost this base to the BSP.
The CPI state committee, led by its secretary Ashok Misra, had been consistently opposed to any alliance with the SP, but had explored the possibility of striking a deal with the BSP. When it did not materialise, the party decided to go to the polls alone.
Similarly, the CPI(M)'s state leadership was keen on a tie-up with SP. But the central leadership rejected the idea, leaving the state leadership with no other option but go it alone.
The party has till now been able to decide only on three seats--Chandauli, Ambedkarnagar and Chail--having dropped both Kanpur and Varanasi, its strongholds a decade ago.