NATIONAL POLITICS
Form Secular Front and Give One-to-One Fight to BJP in UP
Insaf Morcha: Convener Shahabuddin's Call to all Secular Parties, 4 July, 1996
In the fall of the Vajpayee Government and the installation of the Deve Gowda Government, the secular parties, thanks to the alliance and understanding among themselves, have won a respite in the on-going struggle between the forces of Secularism and the forces of Communalism. This respite should not be frittered away.
The City of Secularism is still under siege and the next determined assault by the forces of Hindutva shall be to break through the last outer rampart which Uttar Pradesh represents. The secular forces have no option but to bury the hatchet rise above the past and join the battle, by constructing an impregnable defense line, through extension and consolidation of secular unity.
In the 1996 Parliamentary election, according to the available reports, the segment-wise results were as follow:
No. of Segment
|
Party |
With First Position |
With Second Position |
Total |
|
BJP |
242 |
122 |
364 |
|
SP |
76 |
125 |
201 |
|
BSP |
58 |
98 |
156 |
|
Cong(I) |
20 |
24 |
44 |
|
JD |
10 |
25 |
35 |
|
Cong(T) |
9 |
5 |
14 |
|
CPI/CPM |
1 |
10 |
11 |
|
SJP/Others |
9 |
16 |
25 |
|
TOTAL |
425 |
425 |
850 |
The discrepancy between the second and the third column arises because some segments were 'won' by one secular party against another, relegating the latter to the second position. A rational, objective and honorable electoral adjustment is immediately possible by taking the following steps:-
1. The secular parties namely, the SP, the BSP, the Congress(1), the JD, the Congress(T), the CPI/CPM and the SJP form a Secular Front.
2. By mutual agreement they allocate the segments 'won' by each of them whether against the BJP or any other secular party, to the winner.
3. Allocate other segments to the runner-up against the BJP.
4. Allocate, in accordance with the principles of Social Justice, the segment (Constituency) to a candidate belonging to a sympathetic social group/sub-group which commands demographic pre-eminence therein.
5. As well as, ensure that any self-conscious and identifiable group/sub-group which forms at least
0.25% of the population of UP receives equitable representation in the joint list of candidates.
There is no doubt that the alliance and such a representative list will be welcomed by and receive unanimous support of all social groups/sub-groups, particularly by the OBC's the Muslims and the SCs.
I have already written on these lines to the leaders of the above-mentioned parties I am now making a public appeal to them immediately to commence mutual consultation which may be initiated by the Congress (1), the SP, or the JD first to make a Declaration of Intent and then finalise the list of joint candidates, at least one month before the electoral process begins. Today the nation faces a historic moment which may decide the survival of the Secular State.
CPI(M): Statement on UP Elections, 29 July, 1996
The forthcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh will have major repercussions for national politics. The BSP did not respond to the call for joining a wider unity against the BJP and has chosen to have an alliance with the Congress. It is necessary for all the United Front constituents in Uttar Pradesh like the Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal, the Left Parties and the Congress(T) to launch a united campaign to mobilize all secular sections to defeat the BJP and to minimize any disruption in the unity of the secular forces.
General Election, 1996: Vote Tally in UP
Seat Won % of Vote Received
BJP 52 33.43
JD 2 4.26
Cong 5 8.14
SP 16 20.83
BSP 6 20.60
Left 0 1.02
INC(T) 2 3.03
Others 2 8.69
Total 85 100.00
The Congress has fallen between two stools. A sizeable section of Hindus feel the party pampers Muslims who are rigid and unreasonable. Similarly, Muslims feel that the party has links with the RSS, and was responsible for the demolition of the Babari Masjid. Both of these are not true.
-V.N. Gadgil, Congress (1) Spokesman
