Meghraj Tawar (died on August 27, 2017) is an Indian politician. He is a leader of the Communist Party of India.[1] He represented Gogunda constituency in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 1985.[2] He is a prominent profile of the party amongst the local Adivasi community.

He died on 27 August 2017 in Rabindranath Tagore Medical College Hospital in Udaipur in age of 76.[3]

Adivasi struggles

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Tawar hails from the Bhil community.[4] A prominent Adivasi cadre of the Communist Party, Tawar was detained under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act in the 1970s for having led a campaign against usurers.[5] According to G.S. Rao, "[Tawar] not only organised a terror against the Mahajans and Government officials in Gogunda, but maintained a tribal government in the region for many days. This government could be removed only through police force."[6] As of 2011 he served as a national office bearer of the All India Adivasi Mahasabha.[7]

Legislator

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He contested the Gogunda seat in the 1977 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election, finishing in second place with 8,743 votes (40.62%). He was defeated by Bhura Lal from the Janata Party.[8] Tawar won the Gongunda seat in the 1980 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election, obtaining 9,530 votes (33.74%).[9]

Candidate

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Tawar has contested every election to the Lok Sabha (lower house of the Parliament of India) between 1984 and 2014.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] He contested the Salumber seat in the general elections of 1984 (37,260 votes, 10.56%), 1989 (21,837 votes, 4.88%), 1991 (16,203 votes, 3.86%), 1996 (24,450 votes, 5.70%), 1998 (42,202 votes, 7.04%), 1999 (22,417 votes, 3.99%) and 2004 (32,233 votes, 5.12%).[11][12][13][14][15][16][17] He finished in third place in all of these elections.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

He contested the 1985 Legislative Assembly election from the Phalasia seat, finishing in second place with 4,301 votes (14.55%).[19] Tawar stood as a candidate for the Sarada seat in the 1990 Legislative Assembly election, finishing in third place with 3,915 votes (6.87%).[20] He contested the Sarada seat in the 1993 Legislative Assembly election, finishing in third place with 8,109 votes (12.20%).[21]

In 1998 Tawar contested the Legislative Assembly election from the Gongunda seat, finishing in third place with 2,952 votes (4.17%).[22] Tawar contested the Gongunda seat in the November 2003 Legislative Assembly polls; finishing third with 5,923 votes (6.42%)[23]

After new delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies, the Communist Party fielded Tawar as its candidate in the Udaipur seat in the 2009 general election. He finished in third place with 27,324 votes (3.60%).[10] He again contested the Gongunda seat in the 2013 Legislative Assembly election, finishing in third place with 6,416 votes.[24]

The Communist Party fielded the 75-year-old Tawar as its candidate in the Udaipur constituency in the 2014 general election.[10][25][26] Tawar was the first candidate to file his nomination papers in Udaipur.[18]

References

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  1. ^ Frontline. A communal plot
  2. ^ Frontline. Free to strike
  3. ^ "Meghraj tawar: Former MLA and CPI leader Meghraj Tawar dead at 76 | Jaipur News - Times of India".
  4. ^ Sohan Lal Sharma (2004). Social stratification among the tribes. Himanshu Publications. p. 70. ISBN 978-81-7906-064-3.
  5. ^ Party Life, Vol. 14. Communist Party of India. 1978. p. 8.
  6. ^ G. S. Rao (1994). National Legal System and the Tribal: A Sociological Exploration. Himanshu Publications. p. 76. ISBN 978-81-85167-81-7.
  7. ^ Indigenous Peoples Issues and Resources. India: Report Of 4th National Conference Of All India Adivasi Mahasabha
  8. ^ Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1977 to the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan
  9. ^ Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1980 to the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan
  10. ^ a b c Election Commission of India. General Elections, 2009 (15th Lok Sabh) - 25 - Constituency Wise Detailed Results
  11. ^ a b c Election Commission of India. General Elections 2004 - 17-Salumber (ST) Constituency of Rajasthan
  12. ^ a b c Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1999 to the Thirteenth Lok Sabha - Volume I (National and State Abstracts & Detailed Results) Archived 18 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ a b c Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1999 to the 12th Lok Sabha - Volume I (National and State Abstracts & Detailed Results) Archived 20 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ a b c Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1996 to the Eleventh Lok Sabha - Volume I (National and State Abstracts & Detailed Results6
  15. ^ a b c Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1991 to the Tenth Lok Sabha - Volume I (National and State Abstracts & Detailed Results) Archived 18 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ a b c Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1989 to the Ninth Lok Sabha - Volume I (National and State Abstracts & Detailed Results) Archived 18 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ a b c Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1999 to the Eighth Lok Sabha - Volume I (National and State Abstracts & Detailed Results) Archived 18 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ a b Udaipur Times. Four Lok Sabha election contestants file nomination
  19. ^ Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1985 to the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan
  20. ^ Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1990 to the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan
  21. ^ Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1993 to the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan
  22. ^ Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 1998 to the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan
  23. ^ Election Commission of India. Statistical Report on the General Election, 2003 to the Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan
  24. ^ Election Commission of India. Constituencywise Result Status
  25. ^ Communist Party of India. CPI Lok Sabha Election candidates names final
  26. ^ Business Standard. LS polls: Raj CPI fields 3 candidates