CPI(M) flag.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Palghar/Nashik: The Communist Party of India (Marxist), which is contesting three seats in Maharashtra, has stepped up its campaign to reach out to people.
CPI (M) is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A. opposition bloc.
The CPI (M) is contesting three seats - Dahanu (ST), Kalvan (ST) and Solapur City Central.
While Dahanu (Palghar) and Kalvan (Nashik), the CPI (M) is contesting against the BJP-led Maha Yuti, in Solapur City Central, both the Congress and BJP are against them.
“A series of public meetings are being held to reach out to people,” said CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Dr Ashok Dhawale, who is the President of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS).
In the Dahanu seat, CPI (M)’s lone sitting MLA Vinod Nikole is contesting the seat against Vinod Suresh Medha of the BJP. However, the Raj Thackeray-led MNS fielded Vijay Devji Wadiya and the Mayawati-led BSP has put up Santosh Ramji Thakre. The Hitendra Thakur-led Bahujan Vikas Aghadi has fielded Suresh Arjun Padvi.
In Kalwan, seven-time former MLA Jiva Pandu Gavit, popularly known as JP Gavit is contesting the elections. He faces Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s Nitin Pawar, son of former MLA A T Pawar and Prabhakar Dadaji Pawar of BSP.
In Solapur City Central, three-time MLA Narasayya Adam, popularly known as Adam Master, is fighting the polls against Chetan Narote of the Congress, Devendra Kothe of BJP and Haji Farooq Maqbool Shabdi of Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM. Earlier this seat was represented by Praniti Shinde, who is now MP from Solapur. Her father, Sushilkumar Shinde, a former Maharashtra Chief Minister, has represented this seat.
“In 2019, when Vinod Nikole won the Dahanu seat, he defeated the sitting BJP MLA Paskal Dhanare. This time also, the main fight is against the BJP. The CPI(M) won this Dahanu seat (earlier Jawhar) 9 out of 10 times in successive state assembly elections after 1978. The speciality is that five different candidates put up in successive elections by the CPI(M) during this period were all victorious,” CPI(M) leaders said.
This area was the epicentre of the famed Warli Adivasi Revolt from 1945 to 1948, which was spearheaded by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and the Communist Party under the leadership of the legendary comrades Shamrao Parulekar and Godavari Parulekar.
As far as Gavit is concerned, when he was just 29, in 1978, he was first elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. He had represented the Surgana seat six times and after delimitation, the Kalwan seat once.
Known as a leader of the masses who worked hard for the rights of poor tribals, aggressively campaigning for effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act.
During the March 2018 long march by Adivasis and farmers from Nashik to Mumbai under the banner of All India Kisan Sabha, Gavit played a key role. The march has made international headlines.
Similarly, in February 2019 adivasis and farmers agitation and a similar proposed march, he was one of the prominent leaders. He was also part of the April 2023 march.
Gavit has tremendous influence in the tribal areas of Nashik, Thane and Palghar districts. He was just 29 when in 1978, he was first elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.