New Delhi

D. Raja, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), expressed his concerns about the recent political developments in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, particularly criticizing the Maharashtra elections. He stated that the elections were neither free nor fair, citing a viral video showing a BJP leader distributing money during the campaign, with no action taken by the Election Commission.

Raja also touched upon the Wayanad bypoll, where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi took charge after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat. Despite falling short of surpassing his 2019 victory margin, Priyanka won with a strong margin of over 4.10 lakh votes, reflecting her growing influence within the Congress party.

Discussing Maharashtra, Raja noted the early trends that suggested a victory for the BJP and its allies, while Congress leaders began to accept the disappointing results. He compared it to Haryana, where Congress remained hopeful but faced a different reality in Maharashtra.

Raja also reflected on Jharkhand, where the JMM-Congress alliance’s performance indicated public disillusionment with the BJP’s divisive tactics, including the use of central agencies like the ED to target opposition leaders. Raja criticized these strategies, stating that the public was seeing through the BJP’s political ploys.