2009 Lok Sabha Election
In the year 2009, the commander of the Koel-Sankh zone in Bihar’s jail, Kameshwar Baitha, decided to leave the radical left-wing politics of the Maoist organization and join mainstream politics. This event was seen as the first attempt to cultivate democracy on the fertile land of violent left-wing extremism. It was the first time that someone from the radical left-wing movement directly participated in politics, won elections, and reached the biggest temple of democracy, the Parliament.
Impact During Two Elections
Six months after this event, more than a dozen commanders and leaders of the CPI (Maoist) tried their luck in the assembly elections. The entrance of CPI (Maoist) into mainstream politics during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections opened the way for a new era in their political strategy. However, the influence of the Maoists gradually decreased in the state as the years passed.
Effects of Two Elections
In the years following 2009, the state witnessed elections in 2014 and 2019, where incidents of electoral violence were reported. The Maoists carried out attacks during the elections, resulting in casualties among security personnel and election workers. However, as the years progressed, the influence of the Maoists diminished in the state.
2019 Election Office Targeted, Warning of Boycott
In 2019, the Maoists left notices of election boycott and targeted the election offices of BJP candidates in incidents involving explosives. The threat of boycott and violent actions by Maoists during the elections continued, but their impact had significantly decreased by this time.
1970s and Beyond
The Maoist ideology reached Palamu, Santal Pargana, and northern Chota Nagpur through peasant movements in the 1970s, leading to the spread of Naxalism across Jharkhand. The Maoist organization expanded with the help of the geography of Saranda, Boodha Pahar, and Jhumra post-1980, affecting 19 districts in Jharkhand significantly.
10-Year Pattern
During the Lok Sabha elections, Naxal incidents occurred in Giridih, Gumla, Bokaro, Koderma, Latehar, Dumka, Khunti, Chatra, Chaibasa, and Palamu. However, the Maoist influence has decreased in the Koel-Sankh zone of Palamu. Areas like Saranda, Chaibasa, and Khunti have been declared free from Maoist influence, signifying a move towards democracy.
साल 2009 के लोकसभा चुनाव में बिहार के जेल में बंद कोयल शंख जोन के कमांडर कामेश्वर बैठा ने माओवादी संगठन की राजनीति छोड़कर मुख्यधारा की राजनीति में शामिल होने का फैसला लिया। इस घटना के छह माह बाद भाकपा माओवादी के कई कमांडर और नेता ने भी विधानसभा चुनाव में भाग लिया। इसके बाद राज्य में 2014 और 2019 में चुनावों के दौरान माओवादियों का प्रभाव कम होता गया। 2019 में चुनाव कार्यालयों पर माओवादियों की हमलों की चेतावनी दी गई। झारखंड में माओवादियों का प्रभाव धीरे-धीरे घटता गया है। वहाँ कुछ क्षेत्र जैसे सरायकेला, चाईबासा, खूंटी और झुमरा माओवादियों से मुक्त हो चुके हैं। इसके बावजूद, उग्र वामपंथ के माध्यम से लोकतंत्र की राजनीति के सबसे बड़े मंदिर संसद तक पहुंचने का इतिहास बना।
