A politician is always ambitious. Natural. A political leader especially the top-most leader of a party cannot be faulted for nursing ambitions of becoming Prime Minister or Chief Minister of a State. The one who lacks ambitions belongs to a rare species. Such rare types are also there, but their numbers are dwindling day by day and even a few face threats of extinction. Pity them. Well. When a politician known for his or her simplicity chooses crooked and wily ways to reach the top, then there is something wrong with him/her.
For instance, Mamata Banerji, the supreme leader of Trinamool Congress. It is widely known across the entire political spectrum her antagonistic approach to Communist party of India (Marxist) since decades. Why her anger and hatred have turned against the ruling left front under the stewardship of CPI(M) something puzzling and baffling it is. Okay. Be that as it may. As the leader of a prominent opposition party her attitude is justifiable. Dreaming of dislodging the govt. of West Bengal under the Chief Ministership of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, her bete noire, and taking up the mantle also understandable. And she could cash in on certain wrong political steps of LF govt for example Singur, Nandigram which left thousands of grass-roots level workers getting angered, frustrated and ultimately turning against CPI(M) led Left Front. The Left Front govt reached a point of no return upon facing the wrath of the peasants and share-croppers and regrouped under the leadership of Mamata and a cross-section of intelligentsia. Nandigram project and Singur project had to be shelved mid-way facing the massive onslaught of the masses. Left Front govt’s glorious days over and then bad omens began to spring up with more and more party workers, followers deserting it and joining the Mamata bandwagon.
Mamata’s game worked, and like a miracle CPI(M) began to lose its bastions one by one, for instance Left Front’s taste of defeat at hustings in the 15th General Elections badly mauled they were, followed by defeats in the by-elections to some Assembly Constituencies and local-self govt elections. LF leaders though expected a marginal defeat actually were badly humbled - all beyond their expectations. The leaders gradually got a wind of the shape of things to come, plunged into the arena for damage control exercise on a war footing still they like the political commentators remain skeptical. In the midst of a such a storm about to uproot the party and its coalition came out a report about CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat in an interview with British based Marxist expert and historian Eric Hobswam, the Front’s chances of a possible defeat in the Assembly elections less than one year from now at the hands of the opposition parties of West Bengal especially a Trinamool Congress- Indian National Congress alliance.
The demise of veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu at a critical juncture in Bengal politics, though ailing for a long period due to age-related handicaps was also a blow to an already mauled CPI(M).
Mamata, though elevated to the post of a prestigious portfolio as Minister of Railways without caring much for the portfolio which led to a series of rail disasters by way of sabotage by militants and due to other reasons opted to spend most of her time in her home State scenting victory in the Assembly elections of West Bengal scheduled to be held in 2011. She is still very much in Bengal taking no notice of her portfolio with the entire opposition and a few among the ruling coalition at the centre fretting and fuming but the gentleman at the helm of affairs Sardar ManMohan Singh on a vow of silence actually fearing her reaction widely known for throwing tantrums and impulsive behaviour.
Her negligence of the prestigious portfolio condemnable and deplorable by all standards.
Added to it was her recent alliance with the Maoist citadel not in anyway justifiable that too with the moral support and participation of respected women of high stature like Medha Patkar and Bengal’s pride, Mahasweta Devi. Both of them in their capacities as renowned personalities one in the vanguard of environmental problems affecting the country and the latter as literatteur par excellence as also working amongst Dalits for years, in my humble opinion most unbecoming of both. Both of them joining Mamata Banerji at Singur and Nandigram against the govt was warranted and laudable that in no way are justifications for participating at Lalgharh rally aided and abetted by Maoists and their followers.
Left Front govt coming to grips with the basic problems are chartering a course corrective path, the two cultural icons on coming to terms with it should have taken a ‘wait and see’ approach. Nowhere could we read their complaints, expressions of disagreement or grief over Mamata’s allegedly criminal negligence of her portfolio at the Centre and the loss of lives of hundreds of citizens in the rail disasters due to sabotage and other reasons. Actually two well-known personalities were playing into the hands of a political leader, her whims and fancies and her sky-high ambitions and dreams of entering the Writer’s building at any cost.
Adding fuel to the fire ie. extending all-out support to a disillusioned lot, yes, I refer to Maoists and their Dalit followers here not a correct approach instead seeking meaniful solutions to alleviate their sufferings are the appropriate steps.
To force a party to bite the dust at any cost in the coming elections adopting wily and crooked ways do not behove any political party particularly unbecoming of a leader of the stature of Mamata Banerji.
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