Comrade Jiva Pandu Gavit hoists the red flag seventh time in Maharashtra

In 2009, when Comrade Jiva Pandu Gavit lost the Kalwan (ST) seat, which was restructured after delimiting Gavit's own Surgana constituency, which he had been winning since 1978 except once in 1995, his opponents had written him off. On October 19, the Election Commission declared him winner from the same Kalwan seat.

Gavit, 64, stands as the only leftist MLA in the 13th Vidhan Sabha. Known as a leader of masses who worked hard for the rights of poor tribals, aggressively campaigning for effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, Gavit defeated sitting NCP MLA AT Pawar. Gavit polled 67,795 votes, while Pawar bagged 63,000.

His success can be attributed to BJP's missing organisation and collapse of alliance between Congress and NCP. Pawar and the Congress nominee together have polled more than 68,600 votes.

However, his supporters attribute his success to his integrity and consistent work in the water-starved underdeveloped remote constituency. Over 25,000 tribals in the constituency, over the past eight years, have got ownership rights under the Forest Rights Act. Gavit is also said to be instrumental in opening many ashramshalas and colleges and getting over 20,000 men and women enrolled in the destitute pension scheme.

Gavit is credited with starting "doorstep ration" scheme, which he formulated way back in 2005 to curb the corruption in the public distribution system. The scheme has now been replicated in the neighbouring tribal districts as well. Under the scheme, villagers pool three months' ration money and deposit it with the rationing office, which then sends the truck of grains to the village itself instead of directing through ration shops.

Interestingly, Gavit was just a muster assistant in the employment guarantee scheme, when he took plunge into social life by participating in an agitation led by Godavari Parulekar after the 1972 drought. He later contested on CPI (M) ticket from Surgana constituency (which dissolved in 2008) and had forfeited the deposit along with all candidates in the fray. "He was, however, declared winner as he polled over 7,000 votes, the maximum, among all. He hasn't looked back since," laughs Dr Ashok Dhawale.

Gavit has studied up to Std XII and has assets worth Rs1.66 crore, as per his affidavit with the EC. It also mentions seven criminal cases pending against him. But his supporters don't mind these "frivolous charges" as long as he fulfils his promises, which now include bringing in industries in the area so that people don't migrate to cities for livelihood in the non-harvest season.

Only time will tell if Kalwan voters did right in choosing "left" for the change they are seeking.

CPI (M) lost Dahanu due to secret Sena-NCP pact?
Ashok Dhawale blames a "secret pact" of Sena-NCP behind losing the Dahanu seat to BJP, which it had won in 2009 from NCP. The party had fielded Barkya Mangat instead of Rajaram Ozare, the sitting CPI (M) MLA, this time due to his "poor health". Ozare's son also contested as independent ensuring the Left's defeat.