Haryana: CPI(M) Candidate Om Prakash Vying From Bhiwani With Congress Backing (Photo on Facebook @Comrade Om Prakash)
In Haryana, the Congress announced 89 candidate names for the 90-member assembly, leaving one seat for the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The party had deliberated an alliance with the AAP and CPI, both of which failed due to disagreements in seat allocation discussions.
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However, the CPI(M) is now hopeful to return to the state assembly as its ally, Congress gave a seat to the left party from a constituency where it has a strong base. The only time the left party won a seat in Haryana was in 1987 when Harpal Singh clinched the victory from the Tohana seat as it contested the election in alliance with the Lok Dal (B), formed by Devi Lal, which was one of the most respected politicians back then. The alliance partners, CPI(M) and CPI were given one seat, and both won.
The party has fielded Om Prakash, the Bhiwani district secretary and a member of the party’s state committee. Prakash retired as chief manager of UCO Bank in 2014, stating that he wanted to dedicate himself to the struggles of farmers and workers and social causes.
Prakash’s non-political entity, Jan Sangharsh Samiti, is a well-known organisation that addresses the causes of traders and common people. Talking about the Bhiwani candidate, the Haryana CPI(M) secretary Surender Singh said Prakash is the most popular face in “Bhiwani for leading people in distress and for fighting for the safety of women and other deprived sections,” The Indian Express quotes Haryana CPI(M) chief.
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Prakash expressed his gratitude to his party and the Congress leadership for the ticket he received and said he would ensure the supply of 14 items on the pattern of their government (Left) in Kerala, adding that at present only wheat and rice are supplied under the PDS.
Though both the CPI and the CPI(M) contested the elections earlier, both were unable to emerge victorious on their own, despite having some influence on the ground as the party had led protests connected to farmers’ labourers and women.
However, explaining the service and dedication of the Prakash, farmer leader Dayanand Poonia, also an aide of the CPI(M) candidate, said he was brutally tortured in police custody during a long strike in 2018. During the 2020 agitation against the controversial three farm laws, Prakash was among the arrested, remembers Poonia.
Congress’ last-hour decision to allocate India’s bloc ally the Bhiwani seat has caused rebellion from the ticket aspirants. Among several other aspirants who were denied tickets, entered the rebellion which include former MLA Ram Kishan, who was planning to contest from Bhiwani. Ram Kishan filed his nomination as an independent soon after the seat was allocated to CPI(M). Both Congress and BJP have faced rebellion following the denial of tickets to several aspirants.
