Ajoy Biswas

Summary

Ajoy Biswas is an Indian politician from Tripura, and former member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)).

Ajoy Biswas
Photo of Ajoy Biswas in 201
Biswas in 2012
Member of Parliament 7th Lok Sabha, 8th Lok Sabha
In office
1980–1989
Preceded bySachindra Lal Singh, Tripura West, 1977
Succeeded bySantosh Mohan Dev, Tripura West, 1989
ConstituencyAgartala
Member Of Tripura Legislative Assembly
In office
1972–1980
All India General Secretary & State President Indian Confederation Of Labor
In office
2004–2013
Personal details
BornGarifa, India
Political partyCommunist Party of India (Marxist), Independent
Children2
Alma materRishi Bankim Chandra Colleges
ProfessionPolitician, writer, social worker

Political career edit

Biswas started in politics by becoming an independent MLA in 1972.[1] He was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in Tripura, defeating the Indian National Congress MLA in the elections of 1977.[2] Biswas gradually moved to national politics and was elected as a member of the Indian Parliament's 7th and 8th Lok Sabha from 1980 to 1989.[3][4] Biswas was a trade union activist in Tripura and founded several trade unions there, including the Tripura Employees Coordination Committee, and the Tripura branches of the AITUC, and the DYFI. He also held important positions in several workers' unions in the state.[5]

After the split of the Communist Party of India (CPI) in 1964, the CPI-M came to be known as the party of the tribals in the state of Tripura. Until the early 1970s CPI(M) was not popular in the Bengali community of the state. Biswas played an important role in building the party organisation among the Bengalis of Tripura.[6] With this mass movement, he was able to help defeat the locally strong Indian National Congress in the elections of 1977.[7] This played a pivotal role in bringing the CPI-M to power in 1978.[8][9][10]

During the 8th Lok Sabha, he took part in a debate on 31 August 1987 with the then Defence Minister K. C. Pant, in what became known in the national press as the "Bofors debate".[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

Biswas was a trade union leader and social worker, and several trade and workers' unions in the state were formed under his leadership.[18] He was arrested in connection with political activities in 1966, 1969, 1971 and 1977.[18]

Ideological differences and formation of People's Democratic Front edit

In late 1980s Biswas became vocal against then Tripura's Chief Minister and CPI(M) president Nripen Chakraborty's style of leadership.[19][20] The ideological objection was regarding Chakraborty's way of governance and non-compliance with section 112 of CPI(M) working principle,[21] which emphasizes "more power to people" rather than government.[22]

This ideological difference widened and attracted a central stage of CPI(M) national and politbureau meetings,[23] eventually leading Biswas to quit the party and form Janganotantrik Morcha.[24][25][26]

A number of supporters of Biswas' ideology also followed him, including the Tripura Employees coordination committee (TECC), originally founded by Biswas in 1968. TECC comprises 13 unions, with TGTA and TTA being the largest. As a result of this split Biswas retained the TECC unions.[27] This eventually led to the loss of CPI(M) in the elections of 1988.[20][28][29]

Biswas continues to campaign for the Tripura employees’ demands and welfare.[30][31][32][33]

References edit

  1. ^ "Tripura Assembly Election Results in 1972". Elections.in. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Tripura Assembly Election Results in 1977". www.elections.in. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  3. ^ Biswas, Ajoy. "LokSabha Biography".
  4. ^ "Members Of Lok Sabha Elected From Tripura Since 1952". tripuraassembly.nic.in.
  5. ^ "About | ONGC Worker Union". ongcworker.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Political History Tripura". 16 April 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  7. ^ Das Gupta, Malabika. "North East Regional Imbalance". Economic & Political Weekly. Archived from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  8. ^ "Development of the Communist Movement in Tripura" (PDF). Shodganga. 5: 200 – via Shodganga Infibeam.
  9. ^ "Chapter of The Opposition" (PDF). Shodganga. 2: 54 – via Sodhganga Infibeam.
  10. ^ "Tripura since 1948: Progress & Crisis" (PDF). Shodganga. 5: 44 – via Shodganga Infibeam.
  11. ^ "Bofors debate in Parliament brings out star performers". India Today. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  12. ^ Biswas, Ajoy (31 August 1987). "Bofors debate in Parliament brings out star performers". India Today. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Eighth Lok Sabha marked by anarchy". India Today. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  14. ^ Farazmand, Ali (29 June 2001). Handbook of Comparative and Development Public Administration. CRC Press. ISBN 9780824742027.
  15. ^ Manor, James (1994). Nehru to the Nineties: The Changing Office of Prime Minister in India. Hurst. ISBN 9781850651802.
  16. ^ Tummala, Krishna K. (1994). Public Administration in India. Allied Publishers. ISBN 9788170235903.
  17. ^ "Politics & Public Report" (PDF). The Hindu. 2013.
  18. ^ a b "Lok Sabha Biography". Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  19. ^ "Hours before end, CPM got back Nripen in party fold – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  20. ^ a b "Former Tripura CM Nripen Chakraborty faces criticism". India Today. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  21. ^ "Party Constitution". Communist Party of India (Marxist). Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  22. ^ "Indiana Gazette Newspaper Archives, Jul 31, 1980, p. 5". NewspaperArchive.com. 31 July 1980. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  23. ^ "His left seems right, honestly | Ratnadip Choudhury | Tehelka – Investigations, Latest News, Politics, Analysis, Blogs, Culture, Photos, Videos, Podcasts". www.tehelka.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  24. ^ Buravalli, Pramod Kumar (29 April 2010). "View: Communism is on the wane in India". Rediff. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  25. ^ "त्रिपुरा में एक नई पार्टी का गठन – Navbharat Times". Navbharat Times. 12 April 2001. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  26. ^ "Leftist Parties of India". www.broadleft.org. Archived from the original on 14 January 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  27. ^ "Tripura Government Employees' ... vs State Of Tripura And Ors. on 8 August, 1996". indiankanoon.org. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  28. ^ Tripura Elections 1988.
  29. ^ Bhaumik, Subir (15 February 2018). "A High-stakes Poll for 'Red Fort' Tripura". The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  30. ^ "Manik Sarkar-Bhanu joint effort to deprive Tripura Govt employees: Gov't to challenge HC's verdict in the Supreme Court about 31% pending DA; employees' fate in Manik's rule likely to be paralyzed". www.tripurainfoway.com. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  31. ^ "Fixed pay appointment strengthens foundation of Capitalists; Such appointment is against the policy of Communism, blames Ajay Biswas". www.tripurainfoway.com. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  32. ^ "Ajoy Biswas threatens sit-in-demo in front of CM's residence". agartalainfo.blogspot.in. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  33. ^ "Govt employees, workers stage demonstration seeking regularization of contract workers". tripura-infoway.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.