THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI(ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has raised concerns about the potential for electoral manipulation in states with large migrant worker populations, such as Kerala, following the elimination of 35 lakh migrant workers from Bihar’s electoral rolls.Delivering the 24th N Narendran memorial lecture here on Tuesday, Bhattacharya cautioned that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar could set a precedent for similar actions in other states. Potential for Manipulation in Kerala Bhattacharya highlighted that Kerala’s narrow victory margins make it vulnerable to electoral manipulation. “If unprecedented acts like Special Intensive Revision can happen in north India, it’s a matter of time that such steps are taken in south Indian states too,” he said. The CPI(ML) Liberation leader emphasized that states like Kerala, with significant migrant worker populations, should exercise caution regarding the implications of Bihar’s electoral roll revision. Dispute Over Election Commission’s Claims Bhattacharya disputed the Election Commission’s claim that no political party had complained about the revised electoral roll in Bihar. “People who are eliminated from the list need to apply afresh. Each fresh application is indeed a complaint against the SIR,” he argued. Call for Broader Struggle Against BJP and Sangh Parivar Bhattacharya stressed the need for a broader struggle against the BJP and Sangh Parivar forces, emphasizing the importance of the INDIA bloc in this endeavor. He also criticized the Centre’s anti-Naxal operation Kagar in Chhattisgarh describing them as an attempt to suppress tribals who claim their rights. He said all Left parties should have stronger ties and joint struggles to strenthen the Left-Secular-Democratic movement in the country. When asked about the cohesiveness in the India Alliance, Bhattacharya said parties like AAP have disassociate with the alliance. However, this is not going to affect the alliance much as there are several other parties who are fighting on a common agenda.
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