THE WESTBENGAL IMBROGLIO

West Bengal goes to polls in a span of four-five months along with some other States, most probably in May first week of 2011. The coming elections are being watched keenly by political observers across India. But the elections to West Bengal Assembly are particularly under observation since in a span of thirty three years, election this time holds significance since the ruling Communist Party of India (CPI-M) which has been firmly saddled in the throne faces an uncertain future with its permanent enemy Trinamool Congress (TC) poised to occupy the Writers Building the first time in the history of West Bengal.
Trinamool Congress leader Mamta Banerji sensing certain victory in the coming elections though holding the prestigious portfolio is firmly rooted in her Home State addressing masses across West Bengal thereby attracting them to her party fold. Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Trinamool Congress are at loggerheads since the very beginning and their antagonism as the election days are approaching grows correspondingly often leading to violent clashes other than verbal duels. With her firm hold at Centre of which she is a part she is more powerful in West Bengal and the company of Indian National Congress giving her more muscle and stamina to take on the ruling CPI(M).
Moreover her soft approach to CPI(Maoists) and vice-versa it is worth noting here that Trinamool has found a good friend in need. The fact that CPI(Maoists) adds to the intensity of the enmity between the two since years and with Trinamool joining it, it also has found a good friend in need to take on CPI(Marxist).
With the passage of years, CPI(Maoist) have developed into a powerful group to reckon with and remember it is part of the red-corridor – Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Orissa, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh - which through its silent working among the tribals could endear them and brought them under one umbrella thus paving the way for launching an armed struggle against the ruling conglomeration at the centre. How far they are poised to succeed in their venture, not a subject worth pondering upon in this context, as the subject about which we are discussing about is West Bengal elections.
As the elections are approaching nearer and nearer, the attitudes also turn for the worse. CPI(M)finds reasons to find fault with Trinamool Congress, Trinamool Congress in turn turns its wrath towards CPI(M) resulting in a virtual blame game in the meanwhile CPI(Maoist) too joining the fray. Since the last 33-34 years, last few years have witnessed the worst atmosphere with the ruling CPI(M) biting the dust in each election at the hands of Trinamool Congress. Reasons behind such a pathetic state of affairs were CPI(M)’s own making which everyone is aware about, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s over-enthusiasm to convert Bengal into an industrially developed State had to pay a heavy price. The forcible evacuation of farmers from Singur and Nandigram without seeking their permission and without arriving at a consensus led to violent clashes and ruthless suppression by heavy handed law and order machinery killing hundreds and spilling blood along the streets of West Bengal led to widespread protests even by the intellectuals across various fields of Bengal together with Mamta’s Trinamool Congress. This collective anger turned into majority working against the one-upmanship of CPI(M) finally dealing a heavy blow to it in the elections that followed.
The Maoists who were waiting for an opportune moment particularly in its stronghold of Lalgarh went on the offensive and in the violence that followed many Maoists as well as CPI(M) cadres were done to death, the security forces intervened and let loose a repression and as a sequel to it Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharan Committee was formed to counter the forces of repression. The embers of anger and protests have not died down such a possibility still not within the reach as Lalgarh has already turned into a virtual stronghold of CPI(Maoists) even after high-handed intervention by the State govt with the help of Central Paramilitary forces.
The other day in a violent clash at Netai village of West Midnapore district of Lalgarh seven persons were reported killed and a lot grievously injured thus Lalgarh turning into a boiling cauldron. With the election time fast approaching if corrective steps are not taken on a war-footing the whole Bengal is poised to turn into a towering inferno. Not only the Central govt, the Election Commission of India too should plunge into the arena for a smooth conduct of elections in Bengal.