Two years after Kishenjis death,Maoists call poll boycott in Bengal

However,TMC leaders feel there is no fear of Maoists squads in Bengal any more.

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The Maoists operating in Junglemahal have been told to go for a poll boycott in tribal dominated areas of West Bengal in the 2014 polls. The decision is a deviation from the stand of Kishenji,the former CPI-Maoists military chief. Before being killed in an encounter,Kishenji had propagated voting in the 2011 state Assembly polls and openly urged cadres to vote for the Trinamool Congress.

Two years after Kishenjis death,the CPI-Maoists central committee has issued a circular stating the Maoists will give a vote-boycott call in Bengal and implement it with its full strength.

According to the circular,the Maoist Central Committee has said,Bengal is an important and integral part of the red corridor. The party has suffered a huge loss in the state too. However,the party has decided that apart from other states in the red corridor,the party will give the vote boycott call in Bengal… All frontal organisations,over ground and under ground cadres are directed to start preparation…

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In 2011,when the central committee had given a vote boycott call,Kishenji defied the party line and wrote in a press statement that he wanted to see TMC chief Mamata Banerjee as the chief minister of Bengal.

Significantly,the Maoists had not given a poll boycott threat during the recently-concluded panchayat polls in Bengal and three districts in Junglemahal witnessed almost 85 per cent voter turn out. Moreover,in two years,no incident of violence has been reported from Junglemahal area.

However,TMC leaders feel there is no fear of Maoists squads in Bengal any more.