Bengal Panchayat Polls: All Eyes on Jangal Mahal Where TMC, BJP Faced People’s Ire

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) did not campaign in the Jangal Mahal areas during the 2018 panchayat elections, but won most of the seats unopposed. People alleged that in some places, the TMC had strategically given up seats to allow the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to contest. Indirectly supported by TMC, the BJP formed the Gram Panchayat board in some of those areas.

The people of Jangal Mahal area told this writer that since the TMC did not have to contest and win the elections, several representatives in the panchayat had no responsibility toward the people. Many of them did not even visit their polling station villages for five years. Furthermore, many people said they do not even know their panchayat representatives.

However, that is not happening this time round. Last time, the Left Front was not allowed to contest in most of the seats. This time, the Left Front has candidates everywhere to fight TMC. And both the ruling parties at the Centre (BJP) and the state (TMC) had to face a barrage of questions during the campaign.

Ranibandh MLA faced protests

During the last leg of the campaign, Jyotsna Mandi, the local MLA and Bengal food minister, while on a visit  in Chuyakanali village in the Khatra block of Jangal Mahal, was surrounded by people who fired questions at her. Some residents, including Nimai Bauri, Shankar Das, Sanaton Bauri, Parboti Das, among others, wanted to know why she, being an MLA twice in a row and currently the state food minister, had rarely visited their area in the past seven years.

Santosh Bauri and Aarati Ruidas, labourers in the village, told the minister that they had not received their MGNREGA wages for about two years. They said they had approached the panchayat multiple times but received no payment. They also complained about the lack of new work opportunities. Asit Acharjya, another  resident, told this writer that in response to people's questions, Mandi said that the Central government had stopped MGNREGA funds, leading to the non-payment of wages. She added that Didi (Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee) had been fighting for the release of these funds.

However, the agitated people said they did not want to hear "Dada, Didi" anymore. They said the panchayat members, who belong to TMC, were responsible for paying their due wages. After this, the minister had to beat a hasty retreat without making any further speeches during her campaign in Chuyakanali village.

A similar incident occurred in the tribal-dominated Hijli and Bhalukbasa villages in the Rudra Gram Panchayat of the Ranibandh block. People in this area do not have access to clean drinking water and are forced to drink from ponds. Three months ago, they protested and demanded clean drinking water. The Public Health Engineering (PHE) department had undertaken a Rs 60 crore project to install submersibles in affected areas. However, the project was stopped just before the work began.

Lakshmi Kanta Tudu, a local resident and CPI(M) leader, claimed that the project was stopped on the orders of Mandi, as the agitation was led by the CPI(M). The villagers expressed their grievances and questioned the minister about the stoppage of the water project during her visit to Hijli for campaigning. Once again, Mandi left the village without providing any answers to the villagers.  She later addressed this issue during a public meeting in Khatra, stating that some party leaders who held panchayat portfolios did not allow her to visit those areas, thereby openly highlighting factional conflicts within TMC in front of journalists. However, she did not provide a clear answer when questioned about why she was able to campaign now.

Campaigning by TMC at Khatra

In another incident, Anusuya Ray, president of the Taldangra Panchayat Samiti and currently a Zilla Parishad candidate., while campaigning at Natun Gram of Panchmura Gram Panchayat on Monday, was not allowed to proceed by the villagers.

Some villagers, such as Achintya Majhi, Gurupada Majhi, Dipak Pal, and Madhu Sudan Majhi, also accused her of not initiating any development work in their area during her tenure as president of Taldangra Panchayat Samiti. They also claimed that the Panchmura Gram Panchayat did not undertake any work for the people. Despite their repeated appeals at the block office, no action was taken. Now, Ray has returned as a TMC candidate for Bankura Zilla Parishad. The villagers forced her to leave without conducting any campaign in the areas, said the villagers.

Mrityunjoy Murmu, the Bankura Zilla Parishad Sabhadhipati (chief of the district-level panchayat tier), also faced people's ire during his campaign in Raipur Fulkusma village. He was asked about MGNREGA wages and alleged irregularities in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). He, too, left without being able to provide any answers, said some villagers.

Left candidates campaigning Raipur village

BJP Leaders, Workers Also Questioned

On July 3, BJP leaders and some outside workers faced protests from the people while campaigning in Lodda village of Ambikanagar Panchayat, Ranibandh block. Dayamoti Sardar, Namita Dule and Dipali Pal, labourers, brought out empty cooking gas cylinders and placed them in front of BJP leaders, demanding that they take those away as they were unable to afford those without any work opportunities. Unable to answer their queries, the BJP leaders and activists had to leave the village.

Subash Sarkar, Member of Parliament (MP) from Bankura and Union Minister of State for Education, also faced agitated people when he went to campaign in Dahola village of Khatra Block. Rampada Dule, Krishnapada Kalinda and Mala Kalindi, all labourers, questioned him about why the BJP government at the Centre had stopped release of MGNREGA wages and work in Bengal. They reminded him that he was an MP and a Central minister and asked him why no action had been taken. Sarkar blamed the TMC for stealing MGNREGA work, but the villagers demanded to know why no action had been taken against the culprits. Unable to provide a satisfactory reply, the Union Minister left the village without addressing the people’s concerns.

Support for Left Front

On July 1, Amal Das returned to Jangal Mahal Ranibandh from Tamil Nadu, Sumbhu Mandi returned from Delhi to his native place Dundar Raipur, and Rajaram Mandal returned from Mumbai to Goyalbari Sarenga. They are all migrant labourers. Many other migrant workers are also returning and are even campaigning for the Left Front. Amal Das, a resident of Sindurpur in Ranibandh, said his father's name was deleted from the PMAY registry by the Rajakata Gram Panchayat. He expressed his gratitude to CPI(M) workers who are building his house with funds collected from the people.

Left Front campaign Rajakata village in Ranibandh

Rajaram Mandal told this writer that during COVID-19 pandemic, they returned to their villages with the help of Centre of Indian Trade Unions. At that time, the Chief Minister had promised that each migrant worker would receive Rs 1 lakh. However, till date, not a single migrant worker has received any money, and there is no work available either. As a result, they were forced to move to another state again. They said they returned for the elections, hoping for a Left Front-led panchayat.

Over the past four years, the CPI(M) has organised a strong movement in Jangal Mahal, demanding  increased wages for Kendupata workers and restoration of electricity to the Sabar tribal community. Some progress has been made, such as the provision of electricity connections to Sabar households.

Through these movements, people's faith in the Left Front has increased, Madhu Sudan Mahato, a member of the CPI(M) Bankura District Committee, told this writer. He said many TMC and BJP members had left their parties and joined the Left Front.

The writer covers the Jangalmahal region for ‘Ganashakti’ newspaper in West Bengal. The views are personal.