Kanhaiya Kumar is likely to be fielded in the lok Sabha polls from Bihar by the CPI. Even though the general elections 2019 are still far away, the party has almost made up its mind to bring the former president of JNU Students Union in the poll arena. He is expected to contest from Begusarai constituency.
The hint about Kumar’s poll debut was given by CPI national secretary KR Naraina here. Asked if Kumar has agreed to fight he said talks had already been held with him and he has accepted the offer.
“Kumar was recently in Begusarai and traveled to several areas in that constituency,” added CPI State secretary Satya Narain Singh.
Kumar, who came into limelight late last year following controversy over some programme organised by JNUSU and his fiery speech and later on his arrest, belongs to Begusarai district’s Beehat village where his parents live. Kumar also authored a book titled ‘Bihar to Tihar” which is based on his jail memoirs.
In fact the party has offered him to contest from any of the lok Sabha seats from Bihar but he has preferred to fight from Begusarai once called leningrad of Bihar. Party sources said Kumar has also been offered by the Kerala unit of the CPI to contest any seat in the southern State.
The CPI has planned to contest at least four parliamentary seats in Bihar in alliance with other left parties including CPM and CPI(Ml). They are Begusarai, Madhubani, Khagaria and Motihari where party claims to have a strong base. Sources said Kumar apart from contesting election would also be a star campaigner for party candidates in Bihar.
The party has not only favoured left unity but to broaden it by joining alliance with RJD and Congress and also Sharad Yadav faction of JD(U). “To fight the BJP led NDA we should broaden our alliance and all the left, secular and democratic parties should form a solid unity,” said Naraina.
In last lok Sabha polls, the left party had aligned with Nitish Kumar after he severed his alliance with the NDA. On a question about Bihar CM, Naraina said, “Nitish is now under the clutches of BJP and the saffron party will not leave him to go anywhere else. Nitish committed a political hara-kiri by joining NDA and no secular party will now accept him even if he desires to join ranks with them.”
