Kawasi Lakhma: Tribal Leader's Lok Sabha Poll Debut In Naxal-Hit Bastar (image:facebook.com/kawasilakhmaofficial/)

The naxal-affected Bastar Lok Sabha constituency belongs to South Chhattisgarh. The tribal communities comprise the majority of the population in the region. The main parties in contention for the seat are Congress and the BJP. In the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, BJP candidate Mahesh Kashyap and Congress’ Kawasi Lakhma are vying for the seat.

The Congress announced Kawasi Lakhma”s candidacy by replacing incumbent MP Deepak Baij, who is also heading the Pradesh Congress Committee. Kawasi Lakhma, a prominent tribal leader, is a six-term legislator from the Konta Assembly segment. He has been representing the seat since 1998. He has also served as the industry and excise minister in the previous Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in the state. Besides, Kawasi Lakhma was also one of the survivors of the Naxal attack in Darbha Valley.

Last month, Kawasi Lakhma was booked for violating the electoral code of conduct. As per the complaint, he has been seen “distributing cash” to people during a programme in Jagdalpur. In an interview with the Indian Express, Kawasi Lakhma said that the three biggest issues in the Bastar region are lack of railway lines, naxalism, and the necessity of reducing the height of the Polavaram dam on the Godavari river.

Bastar has been traditionally a Congress stronghold since its formation in 1952. A change of tide in favour of the BJP started showing from 1998 to 2014 when BJP”s Baliram Kashyap and Dinesh Kashyap emerged victorious. Besides Kawasi Lakhma and Mahesh Kashyap, other candidates in the fray are Phool Singh Kachlam (Communist Party of India), Aaytu Ram Mandavi (Bahujan Samaj Party), and Tikam Nagavanshi (Gondwana Gantantra Party).