Did Maoists tip scales in favour of proxies?
RANCHI: For all their proclaimed aversion to parliamentary democracy and the calls for poll boycott that they issue, Maoists were very much in the fray in the Jharkhand polls, both overtly and covertly. Though they did not win, except a couple including Paulus Surin, the successful JMM nominee from Torpa, they are seen as having tipped the scales in some constituencies in favour of JMM and RJD. In Torpa constituency, the writ of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha candidate Paulus Surin, a former Jharkhand Liberation Tiger (JLT) area commander, was evident. Apart from Surin’s campaign vehicles, no poster banner or poll vehicle of any other party was visible anywhere. Similarly in Vishrampur constituency of Palamu district, which sent former Maoist Kameswar Baitha to Parliament in 2009 despite his being behind bars, Yugal Pal, a former Maoist, was contesting on a JMM ticket from inside the jail. Throughout the length and breadth of the assembly segment campaigning by other political party other than
