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'Logic, Research, Science Are Modi Government's Limitations.'
Like many netas who now sport party symbols on their kurtas, Dr Sandeep Saurav wears the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist symbol -- three stars inside a flag -- on his white kurta.
Dr Saurav is contesting his first Lok Sabha election from Nalanda and turned 37 on May 27, five days before election in his constituency which polls on June 1.
Among the youngest candidates in the fray, he won the Paliganj assembly seat in Bihar in 2020 and is throwing a tough challenge to the Janata Dal-United, his principal opponent in Nalanda.
Hardly a political greenhorn, he previously won student elections as general secretary of the Jawaharlal University Students Union and the All India Student Association.
A PhD in Hindi, he turned down an appointment as an assistant professor in Hindi, choosing politics instead of a regular paying job.
"If not for the Modi regime's sharp attack on India, I would have joined lectureship. My task is to battle against this government," says Dr Saurav who attempted raising funds for his Lok Sabha election campaign through crowd funding without much success -- he was only able to raise Rs 54,000.
The CPI-ML does not have enough funds for its own party offices in many places, he says.
"But we have the daring to pick up challenges of the new generation. Our party is the voice of the voiceless."
His campaign office operates out of an unfinished structure which also houses him and other comrades who have assembled to help. There are a handful of students around as well.
The office-cum-living quarters on the national highway in Bihar Sharif is abuzz with activity the morning we meet him. Tejashwi Yadav is to address two public gatherings in the constituency that afternoon and Saurav is to head there in a short while with his supporters.
The CPI-ML and Rashtriya Janata Dal are part of the INDIA bloc. DR Saurav's opponent is sitting JD-U MP Kaushalendra Kumar who has won election in Nalanda thrice. The JD-U is part of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.
Seated in a roomful of supporters from the Congress, RJD and Left, Dr Sandeep Saurav spoke to Rediff.com, interrupting the interview with the Communist greeting 'Lal Salam' to passing comrades.
Watch part 1 of his interview: 'This government wants to end dissent'
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com