THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, February 2: Former top Maoist-turned-politician Kameshwar Baitha has said that the country is facing a new kind of dictatorship by the present regime of the BJP at the centre.
Speaking to this correspondent on Thursday, he said, “Democracy in India is in great danger. It is being gagged. Any voice that is raised against the BJP is stifled. Opposition is being mutilated.”
Fierce dictatorship
He said, “We have heard of many dictators in history. There were dictators in Germany, France, Russia, etc. Even Saddam Hussein was also one. But today, there is a fierce dictatorship launched by the BJP in the country.”
Baitha, referring to Bihar, said, “Nitish Kumar made such a U-turn there that has brought him an all-time infamy. He would pay its price.”
The man Baitha was once a face of fear because of his being in a very high-ranking position in the naxal outfit in the then undivided Bihar and even for some years after Jharkhand came into existence.
Palamu MP in 2009
He left it, fought the parliamentary election, and started his second innings of life. He became MP Palamu in 2009. He won it on the JMM ticket. His victory had stunned all major political parties.
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Public support for INDIA bloc
Baitha said, “The BJP is afraid of the growing public support for the INDIA bloc. The BJP knows it is losing ground. And hence the BJP is indulging in politics of harassing and booking leaders of INDIA block.”
Baitha said, “The BJP is using ED to torture and tarnish the image of all such leaders of the INDIA bloc who give challenge to the BJP. Here in Jharkhand, the ED took into custody the state chief minister, Hemant Soren, a popular tribal face of the country. The ED is after Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of Delhi. The ED is hounding Tejashawi Yadav and Lalu Yadav in Bihar. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is on the hit list.”
He said, “Let there be a Lok Sabha election now, and the BJP will see itself where it stands electorally. The BJP will lose. The INDIA bloc is gaining a groundswell of public support.”
Baitha’s political journey
Baitha started his political journey by contesting the by-poll for the Lok Sabha. He fought the 2007 by-poll from the Palamu seat, losing it by 20,000 votes.
He was then branded as a dark horse of the politics. Nobody had believed he would give such a formidable electoral fight in the by-poll, his maiden trial in mainstream politics after abandoning naxalism.
From the 2007 Lok Sabha by-poll to the 2009 general election, Baitha was a political force to reckon with. Baitha won it in his very second attempt.
First top-ranking Naxal leader to enter politics
Baitha, on his winning 2009 Lok Sabha election in Palamu, was the first top-ranking naxal leader (former) to enter the Parliament – the seat of democracy.
He had become not only nationally famous, but even foreign media had given him coverage as to how a man who fought with the police as a top Naxal leader won the battle of ballot papers.
His entry into the Parliament was hailed as a fresh and new chapter of democracy then.
Will contest Lok Sabha elections: Baitha
Today, Baitha is in the RJD. His luxury car flaunts the RJD car flag. He gets himself photographed with the district president of the RJD, M Vishwakarma, right in the open lobby of the Palamu collectorate.
Baitha said, “I will contest the Palamu Lok Sabha seat from the INDIA bloc. There is no doubt.”
Baitha’s victory in the Lok Sabha election unleashed a new type of narrative. A couple of Naxals took a cue from Baitha and contested elections. But none could win any of the polls.
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