chapter vi profile of the district of burdwan...

CHAPTER VI

PROFILE OF THE DISTRICT OF BURDWAN AND ITS TWOBLOCKS-

BURDWAN-I AND PURBASTHALI-I

Profile of the District of Burdwan

As our fields of study are the two Blocks in the district of Burdwan, namely,

the Burdwan-1 Block and the Purbasthali-1 Block, it would be necessary to

discuss, in some detail, the historical, socio-economic and administrative

profile of the District and the socio-economic profile of the two Blocks as

well as the organizational structure and the electoral performance of the

Bharatiya Janata Party in the District of Burdwan and in the said two Blocks.

The history of Burdwan is known from about 5000 BC and belonging

to the Mesolithic or late stone age. The name Burdwan is an anglicized form

of the Sanskrit word 'Vardhanii"na', which occures in Brihat Samhita of

Varahamihira and in Mdikendeya Purarii[ The first epigraphic reference to

the name occurs in a 6th century A D copper plate found in the village of

Mallasarul in Galsi police station. From this inscription, it appears that

Bardhanifna was the name of a Bhukti (division) under the administration of

an Uparika (Viceroy) during the reign of king Gopal Chandra. 1

There are two views about the origin of the name Bard ham ina. It

might have been named after 24th Jaina Tirthankara or Bardharrlfnasvimt.

According to Kalpasutra of the Jains, Mamvha spent some time in

Astikaglima which was formerly known as BardharrO'na.2 According to the

other view, Bardhamrna means prosperous growth centre. In the progress

of Aryanisation from the upper Ganges valley, the frontier colony was called

Bardhanifna as a landmark of growth and prosperity. 3

Early History

The excavations of 1954 and 1957 revealed that the Mesolithic Age

has been traced at Birbhanpur in Durgapur thana. These discoveries are

Problems and prospects of the BJP in West Bengal 0 165

results of excavations carried on during 1962-65 at 'Pandu Rajar Dhibi' in

the valley of the river Ajay (near Bhedia) and in several other sites on the

Ajay, Kunur and Kopai rivers. This Dhibi has revealed that the people of

those days were capable of building well-planned towns with pavements

and streets. They lived in citadels and houses built of unfired clay reinforced

with reeds and having plastered walls and floors of beaten peletty laterite.

They knew the use of copper. Agiculture and trade was the mainstay of their

economy.4

Vardhanifna continued to be a well known division of the ancient

Bengal. In the 6th century epigraphic evidence points to the existence of

Vardhanifna as a famous Bhukti and in that age it was also mentioned a

Radhadesa or Radha. Radha-Vardhanifna area became a part of the

Maurya empire and remained so throughout. But following the dissolution of

the Gupta empire one or more independent Kingdoms were established in

Bengal.5

Bardhaman before the Muslim Invasion

Towards the close of the 3rd century A 0, a Varman dynasty rose to

power in West Bengal. Chandra Varman may be regarded as the king of

Radha. After that Gupta dynasty came into power and Vinay Gupta was in

charge of this area. And then, Sasanka, the first independent paramount

sovereign of Bengal and then Jayanaga was in charge of this area.6

The history of the District is blank from the middle of the yth century

till the rise of the Palas in the later part of the ath century. The Khalimpur

copper plate of Dharmapala, the son of Gopala-1, states that Gopala-1 was

elected king by the people to save the country from Matsyanayaya (Chaos).

After the Pala dynasty, Sena dynasty took over the charge of Bengal at

about AD 1130. Vijayasena was the first king of Senas according to

Deopara inscription. Before the beginning of Muslim invasion Sadgope

dynasty of Gopbhum which was in Bardhaman district ruled for a short

time. 7


After Muslim Invasion

The first Muslim invasion of Bengal took place during the reign of

Lakshmana Sena by Baktiyar Khilji. After ten years, during the reign of

Husmuddin lwaz a portion of the northern Radha was occupied by the

Muslim ruler of Lakhnauti or Goudha. Then the battle to capture this region

was continuing between the Muslim ruler and the Kings of Orissa. 8

The ploitical condition of the entire Burdwan district as at present

constituted was not clearly known at that time. But the Gangetic part

certainly continued to remain under the rule of Lakhnauti (Goudha).9 In

1606, Qutbuddin Khan Koka, a foster brother of Jehangir, was appointed

the Governor of Bengal. Sher Afgan lstajhi, a Turkish noble man, was at

that time the Jaigirdar of Bardhaman. 10 Qutbuddin Khan Koka paid a visit to

Bardhaman, shortly after his arrival in Bengal. There was a fight between

Sher Afgan and Qutbuddin in the course of which both were killed. 11 The

tombs of Sher Afgan and Qutbuddin lie side by side within the town of

Burdwan.12 Saha Jahan, the son of Jehangir, is said to have occupied

Barddhaman and handed it over to Bairam Beg as a fief.

Burdwan under Barddhaman Raj

The Barddhaman Raj was established towards the end of the

Seventeenth Century. In 1689, by a firman of emperor Aurangzeb,

Krishnaram Rai became the Zamindar of Barddhaman. 13 Chitra Sen Rai, a

discendent of Krishnaram Rai 'was conferred the title of Raja by the Moghul

Emperor by a firm an in 17 40' .14

The origin of the district of Barddhaman as a single administrative

unit began with the assignment of its revenue (as well as that of Nadia) by

Mirzafar in favour of the East India Company in April 1758. 15 Finally, the

district was ceded to the Company by Nabab Mir Kasim in September

1760.16 The British administration over Barddhaman may thus be taken to

have commenced in March 1761.17

The British Crown assumed the Government of India by the

proclamation of Queen Victoria in 1857.18 The people of Bardhaman played

a very active and glorious role in the independence struggle of the country.


The people of Barddhaman reacted sharply to the proclamation of 1905

partitioning of Bengal into two parts. 19 The Khilafat movement also spread

among the Muslim of the district.20 In 1930, when Gandhiji was again

arrested, there were more or less complete hartals at Barddhaman.21

Subhas Chandra Bose paid a visit to Bardhaman in December 1931 and

had addressed a meeting.22 Kazi Nazrul Islam, the noted Bengali poet, was

born at Churulia in Ranjganj. His poems provided inspiration to those who

believed in 'terrorism', and the use of force for attainment of

independence.23 The people of Barddhaman responded to the call of the

country during the Quit India Movement of 1942.24

It may not be out of place here to mention that complete amity

prevailed between the Hindus and the Muslims of the district during the anti

partition movement in Bengal despite the fact that an atmosphere of mutual

distrust and hatred was sought to be created here and there. But the fact

that all these could not snowball into any major incident, could be attributed

generally to the tradition and good sense of the common people of the

district and especially to the communist movement of the district. It is now

well known that only the Communists of the district storngly protested

against the pratition of Bengal and demanded a united Bengal. Here,

attention can be drawn to an amendment brought by Syed Shahedullah in a

requisitioned meeting of the Burdwan Municipality opposing the proposal for

creating Pakistan and partitioning Bengal. 25 But the amendment proposal of

Shahedullah was defeated and the main proposal for partition of the country

as well as Bengal was adopted. That the people of the district of

Bardhhaman was against communalism and for communal amity had been

dealt with by Syed Shahedullah in his book Bardhaman Je/ai Communist

Andolaner Ateet Prasanga. 26

District Boundary Bardhaman district extends from 22°56' to 23°53' North latitude and

from 86°48' to 88°25' East longitude. Lying within Burdwan Division, the

district is bounded on the North by Dumka (of Jharkhand). Birbhum and

Murshidabad, on the East by Nadia, on the South by Hooghly, Bankura and

Problems and prospects ofthe BJP in West Bengal 0 168

Purulia and on the West by Jharkhand State, Purulia and Bankura districts

of West Bengal.27

Climate

The district experiences a climate which is transitional between CWg3

and AWl types, where C stands for warm temperate rainy climates with mild

winter, 'W' for dry winter not compensated for by total rain in the rest of the

year, 'g3' for eastern Ganges type of temperature trend and 'AWl' for

tropical savanna climates. Average temperature in hot season is 30°C while

at the cold season is 20°C. And average rainfall is 150 milimetre. The cold

season starts from about the middle of November and continues till the end

of February. March to May is dry summer intervened by tropical cyclones

and storms. June to September is wet summer while October and

November is autumn.28

Table 6.1

Burdwan District at a Glance

Total Area 7024.00 sq. km

Total Rural Area 6223.82 sq. km

Municipal Area 800.18 sq. km

Head Quarters Burdwan Town

Total Population 68,95,514

Male Population 35,88,376

Female Population 33,07,138

Municipal Population 25,47,048

Ratio of Municipal Population to total Population 35.94%

Total Rural Population 40,48,466

Proportion of Rural Population to total Population 63.06%

Density of Population 982 per sq. km.

Source : Yojana : Dhana Dhanney (in Bengali), May 2007, p.51.

From Table 6.1, it is seen that the total area of the district is 7024.00

square Kilometre. The total number of population is 68,95,514 of which

male population is 39,88,376 (52.03%) and female population is 33,07,136

(47.97%). The total rural population of the district is 40,48,466 (63.06%)

while the total urban population is 25,47,048 (36.94%). The density of

population of the district is 982 per sq. km.


Table 6.2

SC & ST Population in the District of Burdwan.

Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribes

Male Female Total Male Female Total

Total 954951 905803 1860754 221773 220059 441832 (26.98%) (6.41)

Rural 707681 677264 1384945 173409 173663 347072 (20.08) (5.03)

Urban 247270 228539 475809 48364 46396 94760 (6.90) (1.37)

Source : District Statistical Handbook, 2005, p. 44.

The Scheduled Castes constitute 26.98% of the total population of

the district. The total population of the Scheduled Castes in the district is

18,60,754. The percentage of Scheduled Castes living in the rural and the

urban area is 20.08% and 6.90% respectively (Table 6.2). The Schedule

Tribes constitute 6.41% of the total population of the district. Rural

population of the STs in the district is 3,47,072 (5.03%) and urban

population is 94,760 (1.37%) (Table 6.2).

Table 6.3

Distribution of Population by religion in the District of Burdwan.

Hindus Muslims Shikhs Buddhists Jains ~hristians Others Religion not

stated

5440052 1364133 22020 1607 1316 15997 44657 5714

78.89% 19.78% 0.32% 0.02% 0.02% 0.23% 0.66% 0.08%

Source: District Statistical Handbook, 2005, P. 45.

From Table 6.3, it has been seen that the Hindus are the largest

population category in the district. They constitute 78.89% of the total

population of the district. The total number of Hindu population in the district

is 54,40,052. The Muslims are the second highest so far as their population

in the district is concerned although their percentage is small compared to

the Hindus. The Muslims have a population of 13,64,133 and its percentage

share of population in the district is 19.78%. Sikhs constitute only 0.32%,

Buddhists 0.02%, Jains 0.02%, Christians 0.23%, Others 0.66% and those


who have not stated their religion 0.08% of the total population of the

district.

Table 6.4

Literacy Rate (in percentage) of Burdwan District

Rural Male Female Urban Male Female Total Male Female

65.8% 75.06% 56.1% 77.4% 84.5% 69.3% 70.2% 78.6% 61.0%

Source: District Statistical Handbook, 2005, P. 99.

Table 6.4 shows that 70.2% of the total population of the district is literate

as per 2001 census. 65.8% of the rural population is literate while the rate of

literacy in urban areas is 77.4%. 78.6% of the male population and 61.0% of

the female population are literate while 75.06% of the male population and

56.15 of the female population of the rural area are literate. 84.5% and

69.3% of the male and female population respectively are literate in urban

areas.

The district of Burdwan is one of the largest districts in West Bengal

and it has an elaborate Administrative set-up of its own.

Table 6.5

Administrative Set-up of the District of Burdwan

District Headquarters Burdwan

Sub-Division 6

Police Station 32

CD Block (Panchayat 31 Samity)

Villages 2438

Mouzas 2529

Gram Panchayats 277

Gram Sansads 3857

Municipal Corporations 2

Municipalities 9

Source: Statistical Hand Book 2005, Burdwan, pp. 5-12.

From Table 6.5, it is seen that Burdwan is the district headquarter. The

district of Burdwan consists of 6 Sub-divisions, 32 Police Stations, 31

Community Development Blocks and Panchayat Samities, 2438 Villages,

2529 Mouzas, 277 Gram Panchayats, 3857 Gram Sansads, 9 Municipalities

and 2 Municipal Corporations.


The district of Burdwan is one of those districts of West Bengal

which is endowed with both agriculture and industry and many people are

engaged in both of them. From Table 5.6, it has been seen that 35.6% of

the total population of the district are workers, 14.8% are farmers, 29.9%

agricultural labourers, 5.0% are household industries workers, 50.3% are

other workers, 27.6% are main workers, 8.0% are marginal workers and

64.4% are non-workers to the total workers.

Language and Religion

Majority of the people of the District speak Bengali. Besides, many

people speak Hindi, Urdu, Santali, etc. As per the 2001 Census, almost

eighty percent (79.89) people are Hindus and almost twenty percent (19.78)

are Muslims and the rest belong to religions like Christianism, Jainism,

Buddhism, Sikhism, etc.

Organizational Structure of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the District of

Burdwan

Zilla Committee

President = 1

Vice-President<; = 5

General Secretaries= 3 (including 1 General

Secretary, Organization)

Secretaries = 5

Treasurer = 1

Total =15

Executive Committee Members= 46

District Committee Members = 61

There are following 6 Morchas of the BJP in the district :

1. Yuba Morcha

2. Mahila Morcha

3. Scheduled Castes Morcha

4. Scheduled Tribes Morcha

5. Miniority Morcha 6. Kishan Morcha.


Each Morcha has 1 President, 3 Vice-Presidents, 1 General Secretary, 3

Secretaries and 1 Treasurer

The party has 1 Cell-Legal Cell at the district level. B M M, that is,

Bharatiya Mazdoor Morcha also acts as a cell at the district level. It may be

mentioned here that cells can be formed only up to the District level, not

below it.

Source: BJP District Office, Burdwan.

According to the BJP, the district of Burdwan has been divided into

two districts, namely, Agricultural District consisting of that part of the district

where agriculture is the main source of living of the people and the

Industrial District consisting of that part of the district where industries have

come up, that is, Durgapur- Raniganj- Asansol belt.

As regards the membership of the party, the District party office,

more specifically, the President of the District unit of the party, could provide

only a sheet under party's letterhead containing the number of members of

the Agricultural District. According to it, the party has 24300 primary

members and 361 active members as on 15.03.2007 in the Agricultural

district of the party in the district of Burdwan.29

Issues highlighted by the BJP in the District of Burdwan

Although electorally, the BJP's performance in the District is not up to

the mark, the party has spread its tentacles throughout the district as is

proved by the fact that the party has 29 Mandals out of which 23 are rural

Manda/s and 6 are urban Mandals. As these Mandals are set up at the

Block level and as there are 31 Community Development Blocks in the

District, it can be said that the party has its presence almost all over the

District. Like the national and the state unit, the BJP in the Burdwan district

is also seen to organize the people around some issues, though of local

importance, in most cases, but sometimes of regional and national

importance.


As an opposition political party, the BJP in the District of Burdwan

always tries to find fault with the Government which is reflected in the issues

it highlights. Again, its communal outlook has also been manifested through

some issues propagated by it. To have a look at the issues highlighted by

the BJP in the district of Burdwan, the present researcher has to depend

mainly on the leaflets, the letters, etc, collected by him from the District BJP

office. In one undated letter addressed to the Sub-Divisional Officer,

Burdwan Sadar, the party drew attention to the following matters and made

certain demands :

1. What is the population of the Sub-Division?

2. How many ration cards are there ?

3. What is the amount of rice, money provided for the Mid-Day meal

and the number of students ?

4. Why is the standard of Sanitary Mart under Sidhu-Kanho Scheme

so poor?

5. Every political party has to be supplied with information regarding

the Block Action Plan, Work list of MP, MLA LAD. Estimate copy

of construction activities under MP, MLA LAD, copy of GAG Audit

of the Panchayat Samity, the list of beneficiaries under Antyoday,

Annapuma Yojana, the BPL list of 1997, etc.

6. Vigilance and Monitoring Committee for keeping a vigil on the

progress of rural development activities at the Block level as per

the orders of the Central Government has to be formed without

delay.

7. Enhancement of tax through bye-laws has to be postponed.

8. All political parties should have their representatives in the

Beneficiary Committees meant for various rural development

schemes.

9. Illegal Litigation Bill has to be withdrawn.

10. Roads in bad shape have to be repaired.


11. Illegal Nursing Home business has to be stopped and action to be

taken against the Nursing Homes with poor infrastructure.

12.111egal Hotel business has to be put an end to.

13.111egal mining of sand from Sand-beds has to be stopped. 30

In another letter to the District Magistrate of Burdwan, the party drew

attention to the following matters:

(a) A Company called 'Sangam Traders' after cheating many people

of Burdwan by acquiring a Trade License illegally from the

Municipality of Burdwan, fled the district. You are requested to see

and investigate into how the Company got license from the

Municipality.

(b) Daily lotteries, which are drawn every hour have made many

people penniless, even forcing persons to commit suicide. These

lotteries have mushroomed in the district. You are requested to

intervene in the matter.

(c) The expansion of G.T.Road has not been taken up in many

places. Again, in some places measurement and demolition work

(like Chhinnamasta Mandir, Shiv Mandir near the Telephone

exchange etc.) is going on at great speed, while work is going on

slowly in some other places. Why is this discrimination? We

request you to do the needful at the earliest. 31

The District Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Burdwan, sent a letter

to the President of India through the District Magistrate drawing attention to

the inclusion of some Ministers against whom cases have been registered

and charge sheets given for corruption, misuse of power, etc. The Ministers

whose names were mentioned in the letter, included Sri Lalu Prasad Yadav,

Md Taslimuddin, Shibu Soren, M.A.Fatmi and Prem Chandra Gupta.32


From the above, it is seen that the issues raised by the BJP in the

district of Burdwan, concern the common people and the party's efforts to

make inroads at the grass root level is not missed. The party has also

highlighted issues of national importance like people becoming Ministers at

the Centre charged with corruption and misuse of power. At the same time,

the party has also tried to communalize the demolition of illegal structures

for expansion of the Grand Trunk Road by alleging that the authorities are

prompt in demolishing some Mandirs (temples) but slow in demolishing

other structures.

Electoral rerformances of the BJP in the District of Burdwan

The district of Burdwan is known to be a left bastion. It was a

powerful centre of communist movement in the past. In the post

independence days also the district has been playing a very crucial role on

matters related to the communist movement. Elections to the Bidhan Sabha

and Lok Sabha have proved time and again the popularity of the left political

parties in the district. The people of the district have always preferred

secular democratic parties in elections. Since 1977, the left parties have

been getting the majority support of the people of the district. Other political

parties like the Congress, the Trinamool Congress have their pockets of

influence. But the BJP, in spite of its being a national party, has very little

presence in the district. The party has not been able to secure any Bidhan

Sabha or Lok Sabha seat from the district so far. In the Panchayat

elections, the party has been able to secure a few seats here and there and

at present it shares power with the Trinamool Congress only in one

Panchayat Samity in the District- in Purbasthali Block - I and it secured a

Zilla Parishad seat in the 2003 Panchayat election which falls in this Block.


Table 6.6

Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies in the District of

Burdwan. (From 1952 to 2009)

Year No. of Legislative Assembly seats No. of Lok Sabha seats

1952 14 2

1957 15 2

1962 21 4

1967 25 4

1969 25 -

1971 25 4

1972 25 4

1977 26 4

1980 - 4

1982 26 -

1984 - 4

1987 26 -1989 - 4

1991 26 4

1996 26 4

1998 - 4

1999 - 4

2001 26 -2004 - 4

2006 26 -2009 - 3

Sources : (1) Dilip Banerjee, Election Recorder- An Analytical Reference, Bengal

- West Bengal1862-2004, (2) Paschimbanga, May-June 2009, Nos.1 0-11, p. 79.

From Table-6.6, it is seen that in 1952 the total number of Assembly

seats in the Burdwan District was 14 which was almost doubled (26) in 1977

and the figure remains the same at present. In the case of Lok Sabha, the

district had 2 seats in the first Lok Sabha election of 1952 which went up to

4 in the 1962 Lok Sabha election. In the last Lok Sabha election held in the

year 2004, the figure remained the same but in 2009 Lok Sabha election,

this figure came down to 3 as a result of delimitation.

~


Table 6.7

Electoral performance of the BJP Predecessors- The Hindu

Mahasabha and the Jana Sangh in Assembly Elections in the District

of Burdwan from 1952 to 1977.

Year Total no. of No. of seats No. of No. of valid No. of Assembly contested seats votes valid votes

Constituencies &won by contested secured by secured the Hindu & won by the Hindu by the

Mahasabha the Jana Mahasabha Jan a Sangh Sangh

1952 14 3/01 7/Nil 16020 31175

1957 15 3/Nil 5/Nil 18379 5360

1962 21 Nil/Nil Nil/Nil Nil Nil

1967 25 Nil/Nil 3/Nil Nil 3708





Source : Dilip Banerjee, Election Recorder-An Analytical Reference, Bengal- West

Benga/1862-2004, pp. 239-468.

Table-6.7 shows that the predecessors of the Bharatiya Janata Party,

that is, the Hindu Mahasabha and the Jana Sangh took part in Assembly

elections in the district since the very first election held in 1952, but both the

parties' electoral performance was very poor. Only in 1952 election, the

Hindu Mahasabha could win a seat in the district. The Mahasabha

contested 3 seats, won 1, while the Jana Sangh contested 7 seats, but

could not win any seat. In 1957 Assembly election, the Hindu Mahasabha

put up its candidates in 3 seats and the Jana Sangh in 5 seats respectively

but none could capture any seat. The Hindu Mahasabha altogether secured

18379 votes, while the Jana Sangh secured 5360 votes. In 1962 election

both the Hindu Mahasabha and the Jana Sangh did not put up any

candidate. In 1967 election, the Jana Sangh fought in 3 seats out of 25, but

failed to win any seat. It got 3708 votes in all. In 1969, the Jana Sangh

fielded its candidates in two seats out of 25; it secured 3106 votes without


any seat being captured. In 1971, no candidate was put up by the Hindu

Maha Sabha and the Jana Sangh. In the 1972 election, the Jana Sangh

fought in one seat, secured 488 votes without any seat being won by the

party. In 1977 election, the Jana Sangh had no separate identity as it

merged with the Janata Party and contested the election as a constituent of

the Janata Party. Analysing the electoral performance of the Hindu

Mahasabha and the Jana Sangh in the Assembly elections in the district, it

can be said that the two predecessors of the Bharatiya Janata Party could

not make any electoral dent in the district which indicates that the two

parties had very little popular support. So far as the Lok Sabha elections are

concerned, the Jana Sangh, the immediate predecessor of the BJP did not

contest any election in the district of Burdwan and the Hindu Mahasabha

had put up a candidate only in the 1952 Lok Sabha election in the Kalna

Katwa constituency where it polled 50791 votes (27.36%).

Let us now see how the Bharatiya Janata Party, the descendent of the Jana

Sangh, fared in the Assembly elections in the district of Burdwan since

1982.

Table 6.8

Performance of the BJP in the Assembly Elections in the District of Burdwan.

Year No. of No. of seats No. of Total valid No. of valid Percentage of seats. contested seats votes. votes secured votes secured

by BJP won by by BJP. by BJP. BJP

1982 26 05 Nil 2017060 7741 3.84% 1987 26 04 Nil 2473845 8351 3.37% 1991 26 24 Nil 2866426 377581 13.17% 1996 26 26 Nil 3335117 249425 7.48% 2001 26 23 Nil 3400508 173495 5.10% 2006 26 03 Nil 3528451 48674 1.38%

Source : Dilip Banerjee, Election Recorder- An Analytical Reference, Bengal -

West Bengal1862-2004, pp. 468-685.

From Table-6.8, it is seen that the BJP contested 5 seats out of 26 in

the 1982 Assembly€1ection. The party got 7741 valid votes out of 2017060

with a vote share of 3.84%. It could not win any seat. In 1987 election, the

party fielded 4 candidates, secured 8351 votes out of 2473845. It's share of


votes in this election was 3.37%. It was only in the 1991 election that the

BJP could get the highest percentage of votes (13.17%) in the district. In

this election, the party put up 24 candidates, got 377581 votes out of

2866426, but no seat. In the 1996 election, the party put up its candidates in

all the 26 constituencies. It could secure 249425 votes out of 3335117, the

percentage of vote share being 7.48%, the second highest. In the 2001

Assembly election, the party's percentage of vote share went down to

5.1 0%. It fielded 23 candidates, received 173495 votes out of 3400508 and

failed to secure any seat. In the 2006 election, the party could secure just

1.38% votes down from 5.10% in 2001 election. It had its candidates

fighting in 3 constituencies. The party was able to secure 48674 votes out of

3528451 and like previous elections, it failed to bag any seat.

Table 6.9

Performance of the BJP in the Lok Sabha Elections in the District of

Burdwan from 1984 to 2004.

Year No. of No. of seats No. of No. of No. of %of seats contested by seats valid valid votes

BJP won by votes votes secured BJP polled by by BJP

BJP 1984 4 - - - - -1989 4 2 IAsansol, Nil 3108578 75271 2.42%

Katwa 1991 4 4 IDurgapur Nil 3097323 438562 14.15%

Asansol, Burdwan, Katwa

1996 4 4 I do Nil 3610679 275591 7.63% 1998 4 2 /Durgapur, Nil 3703294 632992 17.09%

Burdwan 1999 4 2/ do Nil 3574486 640464 17.91% 2004 4 2 I do Nil 3536101 429482 12.14% 2009 3 31Burdwan Nil 3153105 171359 5.43%

Purba (SC), Burdwan-Durgapur, Asansol

Sources : (1) Dilip Banerjee, Election Recorder - An Analytical Reference,

Bengal- West Benga/1862-2004. pp. 131-203.

(2) Paschimbanga, May-June 2009, Nos . 10-11, pp. 81-82.


Table 6.9 shows that the BJP did not field any candidate in the 1984

Lok Sabha election. In 1989 election, the party fielded its candidates in two

constituencies, secured 75271 votes out of 3108578 with a vote share of

2.42% and no seat. In 1991 Lok Sabha election, the party could secure

14.15% votes. It got 438562 votes out of 3097323 and had to remain

content with no seat. In 1996, the party put up its candidates in all the 4

constituencies, secured 275591 votes out of 3610679 with a vote share of

7.63%. In 1998, when the party at the national level could become the party

with the largest number of seats and could form the Government for a short

period, the party fielded 2 candidates, got 632992 votes out of 3703294 but

could not win any seat in the district of Burdwan. But the BJP could win the

Dum Dum Parliamentary seat in West Bengal in this election. It was in the

1999 Lok Sabha election that the party could get the highest percentage of

votes-17.91%, secured 640464 votes out of 3574486 but no seat. It may be

mentioned here that in this election, the BJP-Ied alliance got majority and

formed the government at the centre which lasted for full five years. In West

Bengal, the party could secure two seats (Dum Dum and Krishnanagar).

Both the two winning candidates became Ministers of the Central

Government. In the 2004 Lok Sabha election, when the BJP's slogan was

'Shining India' at all-India level, the party fielded two candidates in the

district, secured 429482 votes out of 3536101 with a vote share of 12.11%

and no seat. In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, the BJP's percentage of vote

share in the district dipped to 5.43%, (Table 6.9) second lowest after the

1989 Lok Sabha election (2.42%).

Bharatiya Janata Party's -i'erformance in the Panchayat elections

in the District

Table-6.1 0 shows that the BJP could not field any candidate at any

tier in the 1983 Panchayat election in the district. It was only in the 1988

Panchayat election that the BJP got only 2 seats at the Gram Panchayat . level out of the total 5002 and its percentage share of votes was 0.04. The

party could not secure any seat at the Panchayat Samity and the Zilla


Parishad levels. In 1993 Panchayat election, out of the total 5406 Gram

Panchayat seats the BJP could secure only 177 seats (3.27%), 6

Panchayat Samity seats out of 809 seats (0.74%) and no Zilla Parishad

seat. It was only in the 1998 Panchayat election that the BJP got the highest

number of Gram Panchayat seats- 363 in the district (8.14%), 31 Panchayat

Samity seats (4.17%) and no seat in the Zilla Parishad. In 2003 Panchayat

election, the party got 142 Gram Panchayat seats (3.27%), 17 Panchayat

Samity seats (2.32%) less than what it got in the 1993 election. But the fact

to be noted here is that in this election, the BJP could win a Zilla Parishad

seat (1.54%) for the first time in the district. It should be mentioned here that

both in the 1998 and 2003 Panchayat elections, an alliance was forged

between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, and the combined tally of

the two parties at all the three tiers of the Panchayat was more than the

Congress, one of the main opposition parties in West Bengal except in the

Zilla Parishad in 1998 election. The Congress got a seat in the Zilla

Parishad in 1998 in the district, but the TMC-BJP combine could not win any

Zilla Parishad seat. But in 2003 Panchayat election, the TMC- BJP combine

could win 1 seat each in the district while the Congress drew a blank.

Name of the

Party/ Front

CPI(M)

Left Front

Table 6.10

Results of Panchayat Elections from 1978 to 2003 in the District of Burdwan

Election Gram Panchayat Samity Zilla Parishad Three Tiers year Panchayat Taken Together

Seats %of Seats %of Seats %of Seats %of seats seats seats seats

1978 2810 63.01 548 73.76 57 83.83 3415 64.79

1983 3097 74.05 637 8230 55 88.71 3789 75.52

1988 3923 78.43 694 84.02 53 85.48 4670 79.23

1993 4048 75.55 674 83.31 51 82.26 4809 76.61

1998 2810 63.01 548 73.76 57 83.83 3415 64.79

2003 3368 77.50 596 81.20 53 81.54 4017 78.07

1978 2584 92.33 557 96.20 45 100.00 3456 93.03

1983 3273 78.28 681 87.98 59 95.16 4013 79.99 ----------- - - ---·-

Contd. on the next page


Name of Election Gram Panchayat Samity Zilla Parishad Three Tiers the year Panchayat Taken Together

Party/ Front

Seats %of Seats %of Seats %of Seats %of seats seats seats seats

1988 4210 84.17 759 91.89 59 95.16 5028 85.37

1993 4364 80.73 740 91.47 59 95.16 5163 82.25

1998 3018 67.67 609 81.97 67 98.53 3694 70.08

2003 3614 83.16 660 89.92 63 96.92 4337 84.29

1978 214 6.92 19 3.28 - - 233 6.27

1983 825 19.73 87 11.24 2 3.23 914 18.22

1988 695 13.89 62 7.51 3 4.84 760 12.90 INC

1993 745 13.78 61 7.54 3 4.84 809 12.89

1998 219 4.91 23 3.09 1 1.47 243 4.61

2003 236 5.43 26 3.54 Nil - 262 5.09

1978 - - - - - - - -

1983 - - - - - - - -1988 - - - - - - - -

TMC 1993 - - - - - - - -1998 7897 17.64 78 10.50 - - 865 16.41

2003 292 6.72 30 4.09 01 1.54 323 6.28

1978 - - - - - - - -

1983 - - - - - - - -1988 02 0.04 - - - - 02 0.03

BJP 1993 177 3.27 06 0.74 - - 183 2.92

1998 363 8.14 31 4.17 - - 394 7.48

2003 142 3.27 17 2.32 01 1.54 160 3.11

1978 23 0.74 03 0.52 - - 26 0.70

1983 83 1.99 06 0.78 01 1.61 90 1.79

IND& 1988 95 1.90 05 0.61 - - 100 1.70 Others 1993 120 2.22 02 0.25 - - 122 1.94

1998 73 1.64 02 0.27 - - 75 1.42

2003 62 1.43 01 0.14 - - 63 1.22

Tot a I 1978 3091 100.00 579 100.00 45 100.00 3715 100.00

1983 4181 100.00 774 100.00 62 100.00 5017 100.00

1988 5002 100.00 826 100.00 62 100.00 5890 100.00

Contd. on the next page


Name of Election Gram Panchayat Samity Zilla Parishad Three Tiers I

the year Panchayat Taken Together Party I Front

Seats %of Seats %of Seats %of Seats 1 %of seats seats seats seats

1993 5406 100.00 809 100.00 62 100.00 6277 100.00

1998 4460 100.00 743 100.00 68 100.00 5271 100.00

2003 4346 100.00 734 100.00 65 100.00 5145 1oo.oo I

Sources : 1 ). Paschimbanga Panchayat Nirbachan - 1998 :

Tathya 0 Sameeksha. pp. 452-455.

2). Paschimbanga Sastha Panchayat Nirbachan, 2003

Tathya 0 Sameeksha, p. 372.

Table 6.11

Results of Panchayat Election, 2008 in the District of Burdwan

Name of the Gram Panchayat Panchayat Samity Zilla Parishad Party I Front Total seats- 3599 Total seats -748 Total seats-67

Seats %of Seats %of Seats %of won seats won seats won seats

won won won

CPI (M) 2364 65.68 538 71.92 52 77.61

Left Front 2537 70.49 589 78.74 64 95.52

INC 247 6.86 47 6.28 I 1.49

Trinamool 577 16.03 91 12.17 2 2.99 Congress

BJP 117 3.25 14 1.87 Nil Nil

Others 121 3.36 7 0.94 Nil Nil

Source : Ananda Bazar Patrika, 22 May 2008, p.11

From Table 6.11, it is seen that in the 71h Panchayat election in West

Bengal held in May,2008 out of 3599 Gram Panchayat seats in the district

of Burdwan, the CPI (M) got 2364 seats, that is, 65.68% seats, the Left

Front as a whole got 2537 seats, i.e., 70.49% seats, Congress (I) got 247

seats, i.e., 6.86% seats, Trinamool Congress got 577 seats, i.e., 16.03%

seats, BJP got 117 seats, i.e., 3.25% seats and others got 121 seats, i.e.,

3.36%. So far as the BJP's performance in the Gram Panchayat is

concerned, it is observed that while the party got 142 seats, i.e., 3.27%

I


seats (Table 6.11) in 2003 Panchayat election, its tally came down to 117

seats, i.e., 3.25% seats in 2008 Panchayat election.

Table 6.11 shows that out of 748 Panchayat Samity seats, CPI (M)

secured 538 seats (71.92%), the Left Front as a whole secured 589 seats

(78.74%), Congress (I) got 47 seats (6.28%), Trinamool Congress got 91

seats (12.17%), BJP got 14 seats (1.87%) and others got 7 seats (0.94%).

Compared to 2003 Panchayat election it is noticed that while the number of

seats the BJP secured at the Panchayat Samity level in 2003 was 17

(2.32%), it decreased to 14 (1.87%) in 2008.

As far as the Zilla Parishad election is concerned, Table 6.11 shows

that the BJP was unable to secure any Zilla Parishad seat in 2008

Panchayat election while the fact is that it was able to secure one Zilla

Parishad seat in the District in 2003 Panchayat election.

If we compare the performance of the BJP in Panchayat elections in

the district of Burdwan with that of the Left Front, it would be seen that the

Left Front has been able to capture more than the majority of the seats at all

the three tiers of the Panchayat in all elections held so far which goes to

prove the Left Front's hold over the rural folk and the BJP's failure to spread

its influence in the villages of the district.

Table 6.12

The picture of majority in Gram Panchayats, 2003

Total No. LF CONG TMC + BJP TMC+BJP+ TMC+ ofGPs CONG CONG

277 254 8 11 3 1 91.70% 2.89% 3.97% 1.08% 0.36%

Source: Paschimbanga Sastha Panchayat Nirbachan, 2003, p.379.

Table 6.13 Party-wise Office Bearers of the Gram panchayats, 2003

Office Bearers CPI(M) LF CONG TMC BJP Others & Independents

Pradhan 248 254 10 5 8 -Upa-Pradhan 198 251 10 10 5 1

Source: Paschimbanga Sastha Panchayat Nirbachan, 2003, p.379.


Table 6.12 shows that out of the total of 277 Gram Panchayats in the

district, the LF captured 254 GPs (91.70%) in the 2003 Panchayat election,

Congress 8 (2.89%), TMC-BJP combine 11 (3.97%), TMC-BJP-Congress

combine 3 (1.08%) and TMC-INC 1 (0.36%). As regards the number of

Pradhans and Upa-pradhans, 254 Pradhans belong to the LF, 10 to the

Congress, 5 to TMC, 8 to BJP. 251 Upa-pradhans belong to LF, 10 to

Congress, 10 to TMC, 5 to BJP and 1 to others (Table 6.13).

One interesting fact is worth noting here. Out of 277 Gram

Panchayats in the district of Burdwan, the BJP, after 2003 Panchayat

election, emerged as a party with the largest number of seats in

Jahannagar, Samudragarh and Nasratpur Gram Panchayats of the

Purbasthali Block-1 in the district of Burdwan.

Profile of the Burdwan-1 Block

Burdwan-1 Block is one of the 31 Blocks in the district of Burdwan. It

is situated in Kamnara Pirtala, a few miles away from the Burdwan Town,

the District Head Quarter. It is well connected by Bus on the Burdwan

Katwa Bus route and also by narrow gauge train running between Burdwan

and Katwa. The nearest narrow gauge railway station is Kamnara and the

nearest Broad-gauge station is Burdwan. The Block falls within the Burdwan

Sadar Sub-division (North). Hence, this Block has been given precedence

~roughoutour~ud~

Table 6.14

Area, population and Density of population in the District of Burdwan

Area Total Male Female %of Density population population per Sq.

to District Km. population

250.41 Sq.Km. 179828 92650 87178 2.61% 718

Source: District Statistical Hand Book, 2005, Burdwan, p.14.

Table-6.14 shows that the geographical area of the Block is 250.41

Sq. Kilometres. Total population of the Block as per 2001 Census is 179828,


out of which 92650 is male and 87178 female. 2.61% population of the

District live in this Block and the density of population per Square Kilometre

is 718.

Table 6.15

Administrative Units of the District of Burdwan

Sub· Police Panchayats No. of No. of Division station Mouzas inhabited

No. of 1

Households 1

villages GPs P.S. Gram

Sansads

Burdwan Burdwan 9 1 144 80 78 36148 I I

(North) ! j


Table 6.15 shows that the Block is within the Burdwan North Sub

division and under Burdwan Police station. The number of Gram

Panchayats is 9, Panchayat Samity is 1 with 144 Gram Sansads. The Block

has 80 Mouzas, 78 inhabited Villages and 36148 Households.

Table 6.16

Rate of literacy by Sex in Rural and Urban Areas

Rural Urban Total

Male Female Total Male Female Total Male Female Total

77.7% 59.4% 68.8% - - - 77.7% 59.4% 68.8%.


Table 6.16 shows that 68.8% of the total population of the Block are

literate. 77.7% and 59.4% of the total population are literate among the

male and female population respectively.

Table 6.17 Population by religion & percentage to total population of the Block

including Burdwan-11 Block (1991 figures)

Hindus Muslims Christians Sikhs Buddhists Jains Others Population & percentage

to total population.

189485 50307 221 19 29 6 20 240087 (78.92) (20.96) (0.09) (0.01) (0.01) (0.00) (0.01) (100.00)

Source: District Statistical Hand Book, Burdwan, 2005, pp.180-185.


Table 6.17 gives an account of the population by religion in the

Block. It also shows the percentage of population by religion to the total

population of the Block. From this table, it is known that 78.92% of the total

population of the Block are Hindus, 20.96% Muslims, 0.09% Christians,

0.01% Sikhs, 0.01% Buddhists, 0.00% Jains, 0.01% others. It is also seen

from the table that the Hindus have the absolute majority (78.92%), while

the Muslims are way behind them (20.96%). Interestingly, the percentage of

the Hindus in the Block (78.92) is higher than both the District (78.89%) and

the state (72.47%) population. But the percentage of the Muslims in the

Block (20.96%) is higher than the District (19.78%), but lower than the state

(25.25%).

Table 6.18

SC & ST population by sex and literacy rate of the SCs & STs by sex.

SC/ST Male Female Rate of Male Female population literacy

SC-55807 SC-28448 SC-27359 SC-51.98 SC- 63.92 SC-39.64

(31.03) (30.70) (31.38) ST-35.81 ST-48.29 ST-23.62

ST-11137 ST-5535 (5.97) ST-5602(6.43)

(6.19)

Source: Census Report, 2001.

From Table-6.18 it is seen that the Block has 31.03% Scheduled

Caste population and 6.19% Scheduled Tribe population as per the 2001

census. The rate of literacy among the SCs is 51.98%, while that of the STs

is 35.81%. 63.92% of the male population of the SCs are literate while

48.29% male population of the STs are literate. So far as the females are

concerned, 39.64% female population of the SCs and 23.62% of the STs

are literate. It is clear from the Table that the literacy rate of the SCs in

general and the SC male and female is much higher than the STs.


Organizational Structure of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Block Level

It may be mentioned here that all Mandai Committees at the Block

level have the same organizational structure. At the head of the

organizational structure there is the Manda/ Committee.

Composition of the Mandai Committee.

40 Members + 1 (Mandai President) = 41

Office Bearers = 11

President

Vice-presidents

General Secretary

Secretaries

Treasurer

1

4

1

4

1

Tot a I 11

There are following 6 Morchas at the Mandai level:

1. Youth Morcha

2. Kisan Morcha

3. SC. Morcha

4. ST. Morcha

5. Mahila Morcha

6. Minority Morcha.

Each Morcha consists of following 9 members :

President 1

Vice-presidents 3

General Secretary 1

Secretaries 3

Treasurer 1

To ta I 9

Source: BJP District Office, Burdwan.


One exception so far as the setting up of Cells is concerned is that at the

Mandai level only one Cell, that is, the Panchayat Cell can be set up before

Panchayat elections. This Panchayat Cell gets non-functional after the

Panchayat elections are over.

Membership of the BJP in Burdwan-1 Block

Active Members = 15 (as on 10.1 0.2007)

Primary Members = 344 (as on 10.10.2007)

Gram Panchayat- wise distribution of Primary membership of the BJP is as

follows:

Belkash G.P. 87

Kshetia G.P. 69

Kurmun-1 G.P. 66

Bandul-1 G.P. 60

Baghar-11 G.P. 62

Total 344

Source : BJP District Office, Burdwan.

From the above, it is seen that the BJP has members only in 5 G Ps out of 9

in the Burdwan-1 Block. The party has no primary membership in Rayan-1,

Rayan-11, Baghar-1 and Saraitikar Gram Panchayats. So far as the

socio-economic profile of the members of the party in the Block is

concerned, it can be said that they belong to different socio -economic

category.

BJP'S electoral performance in Burdwan-1 Block

Burdwan Block-1 is a stronghold of the CPI(M) as is proved by the

fact that the Burdwan North Assembly Constituency which forms a part of

the Block belongs to the CPI(M). The Panchayat Samity also not only went

to the CPI(M), but the party had absolute majority in the Samity as in the


2003 Panchayat election all the 25 seats of the Samity had gone to the

party. This was one of the Panchayat Samities in West Bengal where there

was no opposition. The party had also captured the two Zilla Parishad seats

from the Block. So far as the Gram Panchayats are concerned, the party

had bagged all the 9 Gram Panchayats in the Block in the 2003 Panchayat

election. In the 2008 Panchayat election also, the CPI(M) performed well in

the Block. In this election, the Party got 81.56% of the total votes at the

Gram Panchayat level, 84% of the seats at Panchayat Samity level and

1 00% at the Zilla Parishad level.

Under the circumstances, it can be said that the Burdwan-1 Block is

one of the Blocks in the district of Burdwan where the Bharatiya Janata

Party has no electoral presence in terms of seats won etc. To analyze the

electoral performance of the BJP in the Block, a study of the election results

of the BJP in the Burdwan North Assembly constituency and the

Panchayats is in order. We will discuss the results of the Burdwan North

Assembly Constituency beginning from 1982 up to 2006 Assembly

elections. So far as Panchayat elections are concerned the results of 1998

and 2003 Panchayat elections will be studied because of the fact that an

alliance was made by BJP with the Trinamool Congress in 1998 and as a

result of this alliance, the electoral performance of the BJP got somewhat

bolstered in the Panchayat elections at the State level.

Table 6.19 shows that in the 1982 and 1987 Assembly elections the

BJP could not field any candidate in the Burdwan North Assembly

Constituency. In 1991 Assembly election, the BJP could get just 10646

votes out of 129273 with a vote share of 8.03 percent, while the CPI(M) got

80616 votes with a vote share of 62.36 percent. In 1996 Assembly election,

the vote share of the BJP went down to 3.41 percent with 5048 votes out of

147842, while the CPI(M) secured 90617 votes. Its percentage of vote

share went up from 60.36% in 1991 to 63.32% in 1996. In 2001 election,

BJP could increase its percentage of vote share to 5.43 with 8330 votes out

of 153282, while the CPI (M) could get 62.54 percent votes with 95862

votes. In 2006, while the BJP did not field any candidate, the CPI(M)


secured 106838 votes out of 167895 and it could increase its percentage

vote share from 62.54% in 2001 to 63.63% in 2006.

Table 6.19

Assembly Election Results in the District of Burdwan from 1982 to

2006

Year Assembly Valid Votes CPI (M) BJP Constituency

Burdwan North 87,400 56968 (65.18%) Did not field any candidate

1982 Purbasthali 76,480 41,724 (5455%) Do

Nadanghat 86,418 50398 (58.32%) 1700(1.79%)

Burdwan North 111713 7 4179(66.40%) Did not field any candidate

1987 Purbasthali 91293 51038 (55.90%) 2237 (2.45%)

Nadanghat 104751 60936 (58.17%) Did not field any candidate

Burdwan North 129273 80616(62.36%) 1 0646(8.23%)

1991 Purbasthali 107345 47478 (44.23%) 28168 (26.24%)

Nadanghat 122751 62370 (50.81%) 23471 (19.12%)

Burdwan North 147842 93617 (63.32%) 5048 (3.41%)

1996 Purbasthali 128510 61076 (47.53%) 23553 (18.33%)

Nadanghat 148379 69770 (47.02%) 15,827(1 0.67%)

Burdwan North 153282 95862 (62.54%) 8330 (5.43%)

2001 Purbasthali 132642 63026 (47.51%) 15364 (11.58%)

Nadanghat 159789 69817 (43.69%) 13628 (8.53%)

2006 Burdwan North 167895 106838 (63.63%) Did not field any candidate

Purbasthali 142351 71213 (50.03% Did not field any candidate

Nadanghat 170892 75032 (43.91%) Did not field any candidate

Source: Dilip Banerjee, Election Recorder - An Analytical Reference, Bengal -

West Bengal 1862-2004, pp. 468-685.

BJ P's performance in the 1998, 2003 and 2008 Panchayat

elections in Burdwan-1 Block

Table 6.20 shows that in 1998 election out of 9 Gram Panchayats,

the BJP failed to get any. The CPI(M) got 8 Gram Panchyats and in one

Gram Panchayat, results were tied. The Panchayat Samity was also

captured by the CPI(M). So far as the seats at various tiers of the


Panchayats are concerned the BJP could win 5 seats at the Gram

Panchayat level, no seat at the Panchayat Samity and the Zilla Parishad

levels. The Left Front secured 23 Panchayat Samity seats out of 24. One

seat went to Trinamool Congress (Table-6.21).

Table 6.20

Panchayat Election, 1998 (Gram Panchayat-wise Results)

Burdwan-1 Block Purbasthali-1 Block

Total seats 9 7 CPI (M) 8 3 LF 8 3 Cong (I) Nil Nil

TMC Nil 1 BJP Nil Nil

TMC + BJP Nil 3 * Tie-1

Source: Bardhaman Zilla Panchayat Nirbachan Parjalochana 1998, pp-35-36.

Table 6.21

Panchayat Election, 1998 (Panchayat Samity Results )


Total seats 24 21

CPI (M) 19 7

LF 23 7

Cong (I) Nil Nil

TMC 1 9

BJP Nil 5

Others Nil Nil

Source: Bardhaman Zilla Panchayat Nirbachan Parjalochana 1998, pp.22-23.

As per Table 6.23, the BJP could not win any Gram Panchayat in

2003 Panchayat election. All the 9 Gram Panchayats went to the CPI(M).

Again, the Burdwan-1 Panchayat Samity went to the CPI(M). As for the

seats won by various political parties at various levels of the Panchayat, the

BJP fared worse than in the 1998 election. In 1998 election, the BJP could

get 5 G P seats but none out of 168 seats in 2003 election. (Table 6.23).

The CPI(M) got 150 seats and the Left Front [ CPI(M), FB, RSP,CPI ] 158


seats. The Congress got 3 seats, while the TMC got 5 seats - 17 less than

in the 1998 election (Table 6.24). In the Panchayat Samity, out of 25 seats,

the BJP could win none, all the 25 seats having been captured by the

CPI(M)/Left Front (Table 6.25). In this election, the CPI(M)/Left Front fared

better than the 1998 election as the Front won 23 seats out of 24 conceding

1 seat to the Congress (Table 6.21). In the Zilla Parishad, out of 2 seats, the

BJP, like in the 1998 election (Table 6.26) drew a blank (Table 6.27).

Gram Panchayat

Total seats-141

Panchayat Samity Total

seats-25

Zilla Parishad

Total seats-3

Table 6.22

Panchayat Election Results- 2008 Burdwan-1 Block

CPI (M) Left Congress Trinamool Front Congress

115 123 Nil 16 (81.56%) (87.23%)

Nil (11.35%)

21 25 Nil Nil (84%) (100%)

Nil Nil

3 3 Nil Nil (100%) (100%)

Nil Nil

Source: Natun Chithi, 24 May 2008, pp.3-4.

BJP Others

Nil 2

Nil (1.42%)

Nil Nil

Nil Nil

Nil Nil

Nil Nil

It is seen from table 6.22 that in the 2008 Panchayat election, out of

141 Gram Panchayat seats in the Burdwan-1 Block, CPI(M) secured 115

seats (81.56%), the Left Front got 123 seats (87.23%), Trinamool bagged

16 seats (11.35%), Others got 2 seats (1.42%), while the Congress and the

BJP drew a blank. So far as the Panchayat Samity results are concerned,

Table 6.22 shows that out of 25 Panchayat Samity seats in the Burdwan-1

Block, CPI(M) bagged 21 seats (84%), the Left Front secured 25 seats

(1 00%) while the Congress, the Trinamool Congress and the BJP failed to

secure any seat. Out of 3 Zilla Parishad seats in the Burdwan- I Block, all

the 3 seats went to the CPI (M).

Compared to the 2003 Panchayat election results, it is seen that so

far as the Gram Panchayat election results are concerned, the BJP's


performance in 2008 is as bad as in 2003 because in both the Panchayat

elections, the party failed to secure any Gram Panchayat seat in the

Burdwan-1 Block. But compared to 1998 Panchayat election, it is seen that

though the BJP got 5 Gram Panchayat seats in the Block in 1998, it failed to

secure any seat in 2008. So far as the Panchayat Samity and Zilla Parishad

results are concerned, it is noticed that in both the two Panchayat elections,

the BJP drew a blank, that is, the party failed to secure any seat either in

the Panchayat Samity or in the Zilla Parishad.

Table 6.23

Panchayat Election, 2003 (Gram Panchayat Results)


No OfGPs 9 7

CPI (M) 9 3

LF 9 3

Congress Nil Nil

TMC Nil Nil

BJP Nil Nil

TMC + BJP Nil 4

Source: Bardhaman Zilla Panchayat Nirbachan Parjalochana 1998, p.

Table 6.24

Panchayat Election, 2003 ( Gram Panchayat- wise Results )


No. ofGPS 9 7

Total seats 168 152

CPI (M) 150 55

LF 158 56

Congress 3 4

TMC 5 54

BJP Nil 35

Others 2 3

Source: Bardhaman Zilla Panchayat Nirbachan Parjalochana 1998, p.17.

I

Total seats CPI (M) LF Congress TMC

BJP Others


Table 6.25

Panchayat Election, 2003 ( Panchayat Samity Results )

Burdwan-1 Block 25 25 25 Nil Nil Nil Nil

Purbasthali-1 Block 21 8 8 Nil 8

5 Nil


Total seats

CPI (M)

LF

Congress

TMC

BJP

Others

Table 6.26

Panchayat Election, 1998 (Zilla Parishad Results)

Burdwan-1 Block

2

2

2

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil

Purbasthali-1 Block

2

2

2

Nil

Nil

Nil

Nil


Total seats CPI (M) LF Congress TMC BJP Others

Table 6.27

Panchayat Election, 2003 ( Zilla Parishad Results )

Burdwan-1 Block 2

2

2

Nil Nil Nil Nil

Purbasthali-1 Block 2

Nil Nil Nil 1 1

Nil

Source: Bardhaman Zilla Panchayat Nirbachan Parja/ochana 1998, pp.37-39.

1

I

1

i I

J

Total seats

CPI (M)

LF


Table 6.28

Panchayat Election, 1998 (Gram Panchayat Seat Results)


161 155

124 (77.02) 68 (43.87)

131 (81.37) 69 (44.52)

Congress 3 3 (1.93)

TMC 22 49 (31.61)

BJP 5 34 (21.93)

Others Nil Nil


Name of the GP

Baghar-1

Baghar-11

Saraitikar

Belkash

Rayan-1

Rayan-11

Kshetia

Kurmun-1

Bandul-1

Total

Table 6.29

Gram Panchayat wise Results, 1998 Panchayat Election Burdwan-1 Block

Total CPI CPI RSP FB LF Cong TMC BJP seats (M)

14 12 - - - 12 - 2 -

13 10 - - - 10 - 1 2 24 20 - 1 - 21 - 3 -24 17 - - 2 19 1 3 1 26 20 - - 1 21 - 5 -

10 04 - 1 - 05 - 4 1 22 15 - 1 - 16 2 3 1 12 12 - - - 12 - - -16 14 " " 1 15 " 1 "

161 124 Nil 03 04 131 03 22 05

Source: District Panchayat Office, Burdwan.

Others.

-

-

--

-

--

-

"

.

From the above, it becomes evident that electorally, the BJP is not a

force to reckon with in Burdwan Block-1, as its performance in elections

prove. The party could not win the Assembly seat from this Block; it could

not capture any Gram Panchayat, any Panchayat Samity or Zilla Parishad

seat in the Block.

I

I I

I


From Table-6.29 it is seen that in 1998 Panchayat election, except

Rayan-11 Gram Panchayat where the results were tied, all the other 8 Gram

Panchayats went to the Left Front. Out of the total Gram Panchayat seats of

165 of 9 Gram panchayats, the CPI(M) got 124 (75.15%) and the Left Front

131 (9.39%). On the other hand, the Trinamool Congress got 22 seats

(13.33%) and the BJP got only 5 seats (3.03%). As there was an alliance

between the TMC and the BJP, the two parties together got 27 seats

(16.36%) which was greater than what the Congress got. The Congress got

only 3 seats out of the total165 seats (1.82%).

Name of the G.P. Baghar-1

Baghar-11

Saraitikar

Belkash

Rayan-1

Rayan-11

Kshetia

Kurmun-1

Bandul-1

Total

Table 6.30

Gram Panchayat - wise Results, 2003 Panchayat Election Burdwan-1 Block

Total CPI(M) FB RSP LF CONG AITC BJP seats

15 14 - - 14 - 1 -14 14 - - 14 - - -26 25 - 1 26 - - -24 21 2 - 23 1 - -27 25 1 - 26 - 1 -11 9 - 2 11 - - -22 17 - -1 18 2 1 -13 13 - - 13 - - -16 11 1 - 12 - 2 -

168 149 04 04 157 03 05 Nil


INO

----

--1 -2

03

Table 6.30 shows that in the 2003 Panchayat election, like the 1998

election, the BJP-TMC alliance was able to get only 6 seats out of 168 in 9

Gram Panchayats, the percentage share of seats being 3.57% which was

less than what it was in the 1998 election (16.36%). The alliance could not

capture any Gram Panchayat as in 1998. On the other hand, the CPI(M) got

149 seats (87.5% seats), the LF got 157 seats (92.86% seats). The

Congress got 3 seats only (1.78% seats). If a comparison is made between

1998 and 2003 Panchayat elections, it is found that the BJP-TMC alliance

performed very badly in 2003 compared to 1998. In 1998, the alliance got


27 seats, while in 2003 it got just 6 seats. The BJP won 5 seats in 1998, but

none in 2003, that is, the people of the Block rejected it wholesale and

voted in a 100% secular way. The Congress could maintain its 1998 tally of

seats in 2003 but its percentage share of seats went down to 1.78% in 2003

from 1.82% in 1998. From the above analysis, it can safely be said that the

BJP electorally is not a party to reckon with in this Block. Gram Panchayat

wise results of the 1998 Panchayat election in Burdwan Block-1 shows that

in Baghar-1 Gram Panchayat, the BJP could not capture any seat out of the

total 14 seats. The TMC got 2 seats and the Left Front 12 seats. In

Baghar-11 Gram Panchayat, out of 13 seats, the BJP could win only 2 seats,

the TMC 1 seat and the Left Front 10 seats. In Saraitikar Gram Panchayat,

out of 24 seats, the BJP failed to win any seat. The TMC got 3 seats and

the Left Front 21 seats. In Belkash Gram Panchayat out of 24 seats, only 1

seat was captured by the BJP, 3 by the TMC and 19 by the Left Front.

Rayan-1 Gram Panchayat had 21 seats in all and the BJP could not bag any

seat. The TMC bagged 5 seats and the Left Front 21 seats. In Rayan-11, out

of 10 seats, only 1 was captured by the BJP, 4 by the TMC and 5 by the

Left Front. That is, no party could get majority in this Gram Panchayat. In

Kshetia Gram Panchayat, the BJP secured 1 seat out of 22 seats. The TMC

got 3 seats; the Congress 2 seats and the Left Front 16 seats. In Kurmun

Gram Panchayat, out of 12 seats, the Left Front bagged all the seats. In

Bandul-1 Gram Panchayat, the BJP could not bag any seat out of the total

16 seats. The TMC got only 1 seat and the rest, that is, 15 seats were

cornered by the Left Front.

From the above, it is seen that in the 1998 Panchayat election, the

BJP could capture only 5 Gram Panchayat seats out of the total 165 seats

in the 9 Gram Panchayats under Burdwan Block-1. The BJP-TMC alliance

could capture 27 Gram Panchayat seats. The Left Front captured 131

seats.

So far as the 2003 Panchayat election is concerned, the Gram

Panchayat-wise results of 9 Gram Panchayats under Burdwan Block-1 show

that out of 15 seats of the Baghar-1 Gram Panchayat, the BJP failed to


secure any seat. The TMC got 1 seat and the Left Front 14 seats. In

Baghar-11 Gram Panchayat, out of 14 seats, the BJP drew a blank. In

Saraitikar Gram Panchayat also, the Left Front bagged all the 26 seats. In

Belkash Gram Panchayat, out of 24 seats, 23 went to the Left Front and 1

to the Congress. The BJP could not open its account. In Rayan-1 Gram

Panchayat, out of 27 seats, the BJP drew a blank, the TMC got 1 seat and

the Left Front 26 seats. In Rayan-11 Gram Panchayat, all the 11 seats went

to the Left Front. In Kshetia Gram Panchayat, the BJP failed to secure any

seat out of 22 seats. The TMC got 1 seat, while the Congress and the Left

Front got 2 and 18 seats respectively. In Kurmun-1 Gram Panchayat all the

13 seats went to the Left Front. In Bandul-1 Gram Panchayat, out of 16

seats, Independents got 2 seats, the TMC 2 and the Left Front 12 .The BJP

could not capture any seat in this Panchayat.

From the Gram Panchaya-wise results of the 2003 Panchayat

Election in Burdwan Block-1, it is seen that although the BJP got 5 seats in

1998 Panchayat election, it failed to get any seat in 2003 election. What is

worth mentioning here is that the TMC, the BJP's ally, also fared very badly

in this election. It got just 5 seats while in 1998 election its tally was 22. The

Congress could retain its tally of 3 seats in 2003 election.

Profile of the Purbasthali-1 Block

Purbasthali-1 Block is one of the bordering Blocks in the district of

Burdwan. The Block is situated on the eastern fringe of the district having its

borders with Nadia. It is surrounded by Purbasthali-11 Block and Katwa

Block-11 on the North, Kalna Block-1 and II on the South and Monteswar

Block on the West. The Block is well-connected with the District Headquarter

(Burdwan) by Bus via Nadanghat, the distance being 65 Kilometres. The

Block can also be reached by Bus via Satgachia. The longest Bus route

from Burdwan to the Block is via Katwa which is 110 Kilometres. The Block

is also connected by rail with the District Headquarter and other places. The

nearest railway station is Nabadwip which is 3 Kilometres away from the


Block. The Block can be reached by rail from Katwa. The Block is also

accessible by rail from Howrah on Howrah-Bandei-Katwa route. The

distance from Howrah to Nabadwip via Bandel is 1 04 Kilometres.

The Block is mainly agricultural. But a large section of the people of

the Block is dependent on handloom industry for their livelihood, which is

considered a household industry. A comparison between the number of

household industry workers of Burdwan Block-! and Purbasthali Block-1 will

go to prove this dependence of a large chunk of the people of Purbasthali

Block-1 on these household industries among which handloom industries

have a lion's share. While there are only 1935 (2.9% to total workers)

household workers in Burdwan-1 Block, Purbasthali-1 Block has 19187

(27.5% to total workers) household industries.

Another interesting fact is that most of the people attached to these

handloom industries have come from Bangladesh and many of them are

supporters of the BJP. During field survey, almost all those who were

interviewed spoke of the BJP's influence among these Bangladeshi Hindu

refugees. Being a border Block, the Bangladeshis do not find it difficult to

enter the Block by crossing over the borders of 24 Parganas and Nadia

districts.

One of the most important issue over which the BJP raises hue and

cry almost regularly not only at the State level but also at the District and

Block levels is the Bangladeshi infiltration. To the BJP, the Muslim

Bangladeshis who cross over to India are infiltrators but the Hindus are

refugees. Even, the BJP organized a Padayatra in the Burdwan district in

2005 for consecutive three days from Katwa to Kalna on the issue of

Bangladeshi infiltration. According to the party, in many Blocks of the

District, the illegal infiltration from Bangladesh has led to a considerable

increase in population. It alleges that in Purbasthali Block-1 the decadal rate

of increase is 20.47 percent. In 1991 this Block had 151958 population, but

as per 2001 census this has increased to 1 ,83,0069. 33


Here it should be remembered that the BJP as a political party in the

District of Burdwan had its origin in Kalna, Katwa and Purbastahi areas.

Table 6.31

Area, Population and Density of Population of Purbasthali-1 Block

Area Total Male Female %of Density per Population Population to Sq.Km.

total District population

148.44 183066 94571 88495 2,65% 1246 sq.km,

Source: Census of India 2001, West Bengal Final Population Tables, p. 19.

According to Table 6.31 Purbasthali-1 Block has a geographical area

of 148.44 Square Kilometres. The total population of the Block is 183066

out of which the male population is 94571 and the female population is

88495. The percentage of population of the Block to the total population of

the district is 2.65 and the number of population per Square Kilometre is

1246. When compared to the Burdwan-1 Block, it is seen that the area of the

Purbasthali Block-1 is smaller than that of the Burdwan Block-1, but it has

more population and more density of population per Square Kilometre.

Table 6. 32

Administrative Units in Purbasthali-1 Block

Sub· Police GPs Panchayat No. of No. of No. of No. of Division Station Samity Gram Mouzas Households Inhabited

Sans ads Villag_es Kalna Purbasthali 7 1 138 97 38186 93

Source: Census report, 2001.

Table-6.32 shows that the Pubasthali-1 Block is within the Kalna Sub

division and under Purbasthali Police Station. The total number of Gram

Panchayats is 9, Panchayat Samity 1 and Gram Sansads 138. It has 97

Mouzas, 93 villages where people inhabit and 38186 households. The Block

has less Gram Panchayats and Gram Sansads but more Mouzas, inhabited

villages and households than the Burdwan Block-1.


Table-6.33 shows that 38.17% of the total population of the Block is

workers, cultivators 12.9% of the total workers, agricultural labourers 25.4%,

household industry workers 27.5%, other workers 34.2%, main workers

34.0%, marginal workers 4.2% and non-workers 61.8% to the total

population.

Table 6.33

Nature of various workers of Purbasthali-1 Block

Total Cultivators Agricultural Household Other Main Marginal workers to I% to total labourers I% Industries workers workers workers I

Total workers to total workers /%to I% to total %to total Population workers I% to total total population population

workers workers

69880 8990 17777 19187 23926 62282 7598 (38.17) (12.9) (25.4) (27.5) (34.2) (34.02) (4.2)

Source: District Statistical Handbook, 2005, pp. 38-40.

Male

76.4

Table 6.34

Rate of Literacy by Sex in Rural & Urban Areas, Purbasthali-1 Block (in percentage)

Rural Urban Total

Female Total Male Female Total Male Female

59.0 68.0 84.4 69.7 77.3 77.7 60.7

Source: District Statistical Handbook, 2005, pp.99.

Non· workers I %to total

popula· tion

113186 (61.8)

Total

69.5

So far as the rate of literacy by sex in rural and urban areas of the

Purbasthali-1 Block is concerned, Table 6.34 shows that among the rural

population, 68.0% are literate and 77.3% of the urban population are

literate. 76,4% of the male population and 59.0% of female population of the

total rural population are literate, while the rate of literacy among the male

and female population of the urban population is 84.4% and 69.7%

respectively. The rate of literacy of the Block as a whole is 77.7%. Among

the male population of the block 77.7% are literate and 60.7% of the female

population are literate.


Table 6.35

Population by Religion & Percentage to Total Population of the Block Including Purbasthali-11 Block

Hindus Muslims Christians Sikhs Buddhists Jains Others Population &

Percentage to the total population

228785 80816 416 - - - 191 310208

73.75 26.05 0.14 - - - 0.06 100.00

Source: District Statistical Handbook, 2005, pp.181-85.

From Table 6.35, it is seen that the Hindus constitute 73.75% in the

Purbasthali-1 Block and II taken together as per 1991 census; Muslims,

Christians and Others constitute 26.05%, 0.14% and 0.06% respectively.

The percentage of the Hindus in the two Blocks taken together is less than

what it is in the District (78.89%), but more than that in the state (72.47%).

The percentage of the Muslims in the two Blocks put together is higher than

that in the District (19.78%) and the state (25.25%) as per the 2001 Census

report. There are no Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains in the two Blocks taken

together.

Table 6.36

Sc & St Population by Sex and Literacy Rate of the SCs & STs by Sex in Purbasthali-1 Block

SC/ST Male Female Rate of Male Female Population Literacy

SC-45086 SC-23328 SC-21758 59.03% 68.57 (SC) 48.77 (SC) (24.63%) (24.67%) (24.59%) (SC)

ST-6491 ST-3244 ST-3247 39.33 (ST) 52.70 (ST) 25.91 (ST) (3.55%) (3.43%) . (3.67 %)

Source: 2001 Census Report, West Bengal, p.19.

From Table 6.36, it is seen that the total Scheduled Caste and

Scheduled Tribe population in the Block is 45086 (24.63%) and 6491

(3.55%) respectively. The male population of the Scheduled Castes and

Scheduled Tribes in the Block is 23328 (24.67%) and 3244 (3.43%)

respectively, and female population is 21758 (24.59%) and 3247 (3.67%)


respectively. What is to be noted here is the fact that the female population

of the Scheduled Tribes is more than the male population in this Block as

the 2001 Census report reveals.

Membership of the BJP in Purbasthali-1 Block

Active Members = 59

Primary Members = 2417

Gram Panchayat-wise distribution of primary membership of the Block is as

follows:

Dogachia GP 142 ,

Bag pur GP 50

Jahannagar GP 219

Nadanghat GP 102

Srirampur GP 40

Samudragarh GP 610

Nasaratpur GP 1254

Total 2417

Source : Interview with Rajib Bhowmick, the Vice-President of the

BJP in the Burdwan District on 21.05.2007.

From the above, it is seen that the BJP has primary members in all

the 7 Gram Panchayat areas in Purbasthali Block-1. It is also seen that in

the three Gram Panchayats where the BJP has emerged as the party with

the largest number of seats after 2003 Panchayat election, namely,

Jah~nnagar, Samudragarh and Nasaratpur, the BJP has more members Ill

than"other Gram Panchayats. In three Gram Panchayats, namely, Bagpur,

Nadanghat and Dogachia, where the Left Front is in power, the BJP has

less members. But what seems to be very baffling is the fact that in

Srirampur Gram Panchayat, where an alliance between the BJP and TMC

is in place, the BJP has the least number of members. It may be mentioned

here that in Srirampur Gram Panchayat, the BJP has no seat and the

panchayat is being run by the Trinamool Congress.


If a comparison is made between the Purbasthali-1 Block and

Burdwan-1 Block as regards the membership of the BJP, it can be said that

the BJP has more active and primary members in the Purbasthali-1 Block

than in the Burdwan-1 Block. This indicates that the BJP has been able to

establish a good social base in Purbasthali-1 Block by utilizing which it can

win seats both at the Gram Panchayat and Panchayat Samity levels.

In the Burdwan-1 Block, the percentage of active and primary

members of the BJP to the total population of the Block is .008% and .191%

respectively, whereas in the Purbasthali-1 Block, it is .032% and 1.48%

respectively.

BJP's electroral ~rformance in Purbasthali-1 Block

At the very outset, it needs to be pointed out that Purbasthali-1 Block

is one of the Blocks in the district of Burdwan where BJP's influence among

a section of the people is a recognized fact. The party is in power in a few

Gram Panchayats in alliance with the Trinamool Congress in this Block. It is

also sharing power with the Trinamool Congress in Purbasthali-1 Panchayat

Samity. The only Zilla Parishad seat it won in 2003 Panchayat election

belongs to this Block. The party has also been able to make it a party with

the largest number of seats in two Gram Panchyats, namely, Samudragarh

Gram Panchayat and Nasaratpur Gram Panchayat. Besides, it's electoral

performance in the two Assembly constituencies forming parts of this Block

- Purbasthali and Nadanghat is not very insignificant.

An analysis of the party's performance in the Assembly Elections

from 1982 to 2006 in the Block as well as in the Panchayat elections of

1998 and 2003 may be made here to gauge the popular support for the BJP

in the Block. Table 6.19 shows that in the 1982 Assembly election the BJP

did not field its candidate in Purbasthali constituency. It fielded its candidate

in Nadanghat constituency but could secure only 1.97% votes (1700 votes).

In 1987 Assembly election, the BJP put up its candidate only in Purbasthali

constituency and it could gain 2.45 percent votes. But in 1991 Assembly


election, the BJP fielded its candidates in both the Purbasthali and the

Nadanghat constituencies and secured 26.24% and 19.12% votes

respectively. In 1996 Assembly election, the BJP received 23553 (18.33%)

votes out of 128510 valid votes in Purbasthali constituency and in

Nadanghat constituency, it got 15827 votes out of 148379 valid votes. Its

percentage votes share was 10.67%. In 2001 Assembly election the BJP

got 15364 votes out of 132642 valid votes and 11.58% votes in Purbasthali

but in Nadanghat the party got 13629 votes out of 159789 valid

votes(8.53%). As there was an alliance between the BJP and the Trinamool

Congress in 2006 Assembly election, the BJP did not field any candidate in

the two constituencies. Instead, the Trinamool Congress put up its

candidates in both the constituencies and it could win the Purbasthali

Assembly seat.

BJP's performance in Panchayat elections of 1998 and 2003 in

Purbasthali-1 Block

From Table 6.20, it is seen that in the 1998 Panchayat election, the

BJP-TMC alliance captured 3 Gram Panchayats out of 7 in the Purbasthali-1

Block. The Left Front captured 3 Garm Panchayats, the Trinamool

Congress 1 and the Congress failed to capture any.

Table 6.21 shows that in 1998 Panchayat election, out of 21 seats in

Panchayat Samity, the BJP got 5 seats, the TMC 9 seats and the Left Front

7 seats. As there was an alliance between the BJP and the TMC, the BJP

TMC combine got 14 seats together and formed the Board at the Panchayat

Samity level for the first time in Purbasthali-1 Block. So far as the Zilla

Parishad election is concerned, the BJP could not win any seat out of 2.

The Left Front won the two seats (Table 6.25).

According to Table 6.28 there were 155 Gram Panchayat seats in

1998 Panchayat election in Purbasthali-1 Block. Out of these 155 seats, the

BJP obtained 34 seats (21.93%), the TMC 49 seats (31.61 %), Congress 3

seats (1.93%) and the Left Front 69 seats (44.52%).

As far as the 2003 Panchayat election is concerned, out of 7 Gram

Panchayats in the Purbasthali-1 Block, the BJP-TMC combine captured 4


Gram Panchayats and the Left Front captured 3 Gram Panchayats (Table

6.22). At the Panchayat Samity level, out of 21 seats, the BJP won 5 seats,

the TMC 8 seats and the Left Front 8 seats (Table 6.25). The BJP could

retain its 1998 tally of 5 in 2003. The TMC's tally in 2003 was less than in

1998. But the Left F rant could increase its tally of 7 in 1998 to 8 in 2003.

Like 1998 election, in 2003 election also the BJP-TMC combine could

capture the majority of seats. The combine got 13 seats. As a result, the

combine again was able to form the Board in Panchayat Samity in 2003. In

Zilla Parishad,· out of 2 seats in the Block, the BJP could secure 1 seat for

the first time. The other seat was captured by the TMC (Table 6.27). The LF

could not capture any Zilla Parishad seats in the Block contrary to the fact

that it won all the 2 Zilla Parishad seats in 1998. Hence it can be said that

the BJP-TMC combine's performance at the Zilla Parishad level in 2003

was astounding as the combine could snatch all the seats (2) from the Left

Front.

Table-6.24 shows that in the 2003 Panchayat election the BJP could

capture 35 Gram Panchayat seats out of 1512, 1 more than its tally of 34 in

1998. The TMC got 54 seats, 5 more than in 1998. The Left Front bagged

56 seats, 13 less than in 1998. The Congress won 4 seats, 1 more than in

1998 election.

Now, an· attempt may be made to study the Gram Panchayat-wise

results of the BJP and other political parties in 1998 and 2003 Panchayat

Elections in the Block. Table 6.37

Panchayat Election 1998: Gram Panchayat- wise Results in the Purbasthali-1 Block

Name of the GPs Total CPI(M) CPI RSP FB LF Cong TMC BJP Others seats

Jahannagar 17 7 Nil Nil Nil 7 Nil 5 5 Nil Srirampur 24 8 Nil Nil Nil 8 Nil 16 Nil Nil Samudragarh 24 8 Nil Nil Nil 8 Nil 5 11 Nil Nadanghat 20 12 Nil Nil Nil 12 Nil 7 Nil 1 Bag pur 21 13 Nil Nil Nil 13 1 6 Nil 1 Dogachia 19 11 Nil Nil Nil 11 Nil 5 3 Nil Nasratpur 30 8 Nil Nil Nil 8 2 5 15 Nil

155 57 67 3 49 34 2


Table 6.37 shows that in 1998 Panchayat election, out of 17 seats of

the Jahannagar Gram Panchayat, the BJP secured 5 seats, TMC 5, Left


Front 7. That is, as the BJP-TMC alliance gained majority, the alliance came

to power in this Gram Panchayat. In Srirampur Gram Panchayat, out of 24

seats, the BJP could not win any seat. The TMC won 16 seats and the Left

Front won 8 seats. This Gram Panchayat went to the Trinamool Congress.

In Samudragarh Gram Panchayat the BJP got 11 seats out of the total 24

seats, TMC 5 and the Left Front 8. This Gram Panchayat was one of the

two Gram Panchayats where the BJP got more seats than other political

parties. The other Gram Panchayat where the BJP got the highest number

of seats was Nasaratpur Gram Panchayat. In this Gram Panchayat the BJP

won15 seats out of 30, the TMC 5, the Left Front 8 and the Congress 2. In

Nandanghat Gram Panchayat, the BJP could not secure any seat out of the

total 20 seats, the TMC got 7 seats and the Left Front 12, others 1. In

Bagpur Gram Panchayat also the BJP could not open its account. In this

Gram Panchayat, the Left Front got 13 seats, the Congress 2 and the TMC

got 6 seats. In Dogachia Gram Panchayat, the BJP secured 3 seats, the

TMC 5 and the Left Front 11 seats.

From the above, it is seen that in 1998 Panchayat election out of 7

Gram Panchayats in Purbasthali-1 Block, the BJP-TMC alliance came to

power in 4 and the Left Front in 3 Gram Panchayats. The BJP got 34 seats

altogether out of the total 150 seats, that is, it garnered 21.93% seats, the

TMC 49 seats, that is, 31.61% seats, the Left Front 55 seats, that is,

43.22% seats. 83 seats went to the BJP-TMC alliance (53.55% seats).

As per Table 6.38, in 2003 Panchayat election, out of the total 17

seats in the Jahannagar Gram Panchayat, the BJP got 6 seats, 1 more than

in the 1998 election, the TMC 8 seats, 3 more, the Congress 2 seats, 2

more and the Left Front 2 seats, 5 less than in the 1998 election.

Table 6.38

Panchayat Election, 2003: Gram Panchyat- wise Results in the Purbasthali-1 Block

Name of the GPs Total CPI(M) FB RSP CPI LF INC TMC BJP seats

Dogachia 18 2 - - - 2 2 9 5 Jahannagar 17 9 - - - 9 - 2 6 Sri ram pur 24 4 - - - 4 - 20 -Bag pur 20 12 - - - 12 1 7 -Nadanghat 19 13 - - 1 14 - 3 -Samudragarh 24 8 - - - 8 - 7 9 Nasaratpur

. 30 7 7 1 6 15 - - -TOTAL 152 55 - - 1 56 4 54 35

Source: Panchayat Samity Office, Srirampur, Purbasthali-1 Block.

INO

----2 -1 3


In Srirampur Gram Panchayat, the BJP, as in 1998, could not secure

any seat in the 2003 Panchayat election. The TMC got 20 seats, 4 more

than in 1998 election. The Left Front got 4 seats, 4 less than in the 1998

election. In Samudragarh, the BJP was able to win 9 seats, 2 more and

TMC 7 seats, 2 more and the Left Front 8 seats, same as in 1998. In

Nadanghat, out of the total 19 seats, the BJP, as in 1998, could not secure

any seat. The TMC got 3 seats, 4 less and the Left Front 13 seats, 1 more

than in the1998 election.

In Bagpur Gram Panchayat also the BJP failed to secure any seat.

The TMC won 7 seats, 1 more than in the 1998 election; the Congress tally

in 2003 was the same as in 1998. It got only 1 seat. In Dogachia Gram

Panchayat, the BJP could increase its tally from 3 to 5 in the 1998 election.

The TMC got 9 seats, 3 more than in the previous election. The Congress

bagged 2 seats while it got no seat in 1998. The Left Front captured 2

seats, 9 less than in the 1998 election. In Nasratpur Gram Panchayat, the

BJP could maintain its status quo. In 1998, it captured 15 seats out of 30. In

2003 also it had the same number of seats. The TMC garnered 6 seats, one

more than in the 1998 election, the Congress 1 and the Left Front 7, one

less than in the previous election.

From the above, it is seen that in the 2003 Panchayat election, the

BJP-TMC alliance came to power in 4 Gram Panchyats, namely, Srirampur,

Dogachia, Samudragarh and Nasratpur. The Left Front was voted to power

in 3 Gram Panchayats, namely, Jahannagar, Nandanghat and Bagpur. That

is, a status quo was maintained so far as the number of Gram Panchayats

captured by the Left Front and the opposition in both 1998 and 2003

elections is concerned. Table 6.39

Panchayat Election Results-2008 : Purbasthali-1 Block

Left Front Congress Trinamool BJP Others Congress

Gram Panchayat 34 1 67 25 8 Total seats-135 (25.19%) (0.74%) (49.63%) (18.52%) (5.92%)

Panchayat Samity 6 Nil 11 4 Nil Total seats-21 (28.57%)

(Nil) (52.38%) (19.05%)

(Nil)

Zilla Parishad 1 Nil 1 Nil Nil Total seats-2 (50%) (Nil) (50%) (Nil) (Nil)

Source: Natun Chithi, 24 May 2008, pp. 3-4


Table 6.39 shows that in the 2008 Panchayat election, out of 135

Gram Panchayat seats in the Purbasthali-1 Block, the Left Front cornered 34

seats (25.19%), the Congress 1 seat (0.74%), the Trinamool Congress 67

seats (49.63%), the BJP 25 seats (18.52%) and Others 8 seats (5.92%). So

far as the Panchayat Samity is concerned, it is found that out of 21 seats,

the Left Front secured 6 seats (28.57%), the Congress failed to secure any

seat, the Trinamool Congress 11 seats (52.38%), the BJP 4 seats (19.05%),

and Others drew a blank. Out of 2 Zilla Parishad seats in the Block, the Left

Front got 1 seat (50%) and the Trinamool Congress captured 1 seat (50%).

The Congress and the BJP could not secure any Zilla Parishad seat in the

Block.

It is seen from Tables 6.38 and 6.39 that compared to the 2003

Panchayat election, the BJP could secure less Gram Panchayat seats in

2008. In 2003, the Party secured 35 seats out of 152 seats, but in 2008, it

could win 25 seats out of 135. So far as the Panchayat Samity seats are

concerned, it is found that while the BJP got 5 Panchayat Samity seats in

2003, the tally came down to 4 in 2008. Out of 2 Zilla Parishad seats the

BJP was able to secure 1 seat in 2003, but it drew a blank in 2008.

Compared to the 1998 Panchayat election, it is found that the BJP bagged 9

less Gram Panchayat seats in the 2008 election. The Party secured 5

Panchayat Samity seats in 1998 as in 2003 but in 2008 election it secured 4

seats. In the Zilla Parishad, the BJP could not secure any seat both in 1998

and 2008 Panchayat elections.

Summing up, it can be said that the BJP's electoral presence in

Burdwan Block-1 is very negligible as it could secure only 5 Gram

Panchayat seats out of 161 in 1998 Panchayat election and no seat at the

Panchayat Samity or the Zilla Parishad level. In 2003 and 2008 Panchayat

elections, the party failed to win any seat at any level of the Pachayat

system. But this is not the case in Purbasthali-1 Block, where the BJP, in

alliance with the Trinamool Congress, came to power in four Gram

Panchayats in the 1998, 2003 and 2008 Panchayat elections. The party, in

alliance with the TMC, was in power in the Purbasthali-1 Block Panchayat


Samity in 1998 and 2003 and now it is sharing power in the same

Panchayat Samity in league with the Trinamool Congress. What is more,

the party was able to secure one Zilla Parishad seat from the Purbasthali-1

Block in the 2003 election, but the Party failed to secure any Zilla Parishad

seat from the Block in the 2008 Panchayat election. Yet, the fact is that the

party is not in a position to come to power on its own. It is through an

alliance with the Trinamool Congress that the BJP shares power at the

Gram Panchayat and Panchayat Samity levels. Still, it cannot be denied

that in 2003 Panchayat election, the BJP was able to secure more seats

than theTMC in three Gram Panchayats,namely, Jahannagar, Samudragarh

and Nasratpur.

From the above analysis, it can safely be concluded that although the

performance of the BJP in 2008 Panchayat election has not been as good

as in the 1998 and 2003 elections, the Party has a significant base among

the voters in the Purbasthali-1 Block than in the Burdwan-1 Block. There may

be many reasons for it, but during field work, what almost all respondents

have said is that the BJP has been able to spread its influence among most

of the Bangladeshi Hindu refugees who constitute a large segment of the

population of the Block.


References

1. Gazetteer of India, West Bengal : Bardhaman, p.1

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. www.bardhaman.nic.in.

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid.

8. Ibid.

9. Ibid.

10.1bid.

11. Ibid.

12. Ibid.

13. Gazetteer of India, West Bengal: Bardhaman, pp. 580-81.

14. w.w.w. bardhaman.nic. in.

15. Gazetteer of India, West Bengal : Bardhaman, p. 3.

16. w.w.w. bardhaman.nic.in.

17. Gazetteer of India, West Bengal: Bardhaman, p. 3.

18. Ibid., p. 97.

19. Ibid.

20. Ibid., p. 98

21. Ibid.

22. Ibid., p. 99.

23. Ibid.

24. Ibid.

25. Jyotirmay Bhattacharya, Bardhaman 0 Bangla-bhag prasanga,1905 0

194 7 in Bardhaman Utsav, 2006, A souvenir published on the occasion of

Bardhaman Utsav 21-29, January 2006 organised by the Bardhaman

Municipality, (Page not stated).

26. ,Syed Shahedullah, Bardhaman JeiarCf>mmunist Andofaner Ateet Prasanga (in

:Bengali). pp. 375- ~99

27. Jojana: Dhana Dhanney, May 2007, p. 51.

28. w.w.w. bardhaman.nic.in.


29. As told by the President of the BJP, Burdwan District Committee.

30. An undated letter from the BJP, Burdwan District Committee, addressed to

the Sub-Divisional Officer, Burdwan Sadar.

31. Letter written by the BJP to the OM of Burdwan, dated 02.07. 2004, signed

by the then President, General Secretary, General Secretary

(Organization).

32. Letter from the Burdwan District Committee, BJP, to the President of India

through the OM, Burdwan, No. BJP/01/04, dated 02/07/2004 signed by the

President, General Secretary, General Secretary (Organization).

---0---

chapter vi profile of the district of burdwan...

Documents