INDIA: Left gains in state elections

The left-wing Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (Liberation) won seven seats, up from five previously, in the 243-seat state assembly of Bihar in the month-long state elections completed in early March. One of the new seats won was in Paligani, where five CPI-ML leaders were assassinated a few months ago by gangs backed by the ruling right-wing RJD party. The CPI-ML also won the Bagodar seat in Jharkhand. A few weeks ago, the sitting CPI-ML parliamentarian Mahendra Singh was assassinated a day before nominations closed. Vowing to carry on with his father's battle for the poor and downtrodden, his son Vinod Kumar Singh won the seat. This is the first state election in Jharkhand since it separated from Bihar in 2000.

From Green Left Weekly, March 9, 2005.

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From GLW issue 618