Mamata Banerjee's gambling

by Deepak Roy from Kolkata
March 23, 2011

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1346/mamata-banerjee-gambling

The scheduled West Bengal Legislative assembly polls begins first phase on April 18, already heating the state. The ruling Left front have announced their candidates in all 294 seats, this polls they have fielded 151 new candidates, meantime they have also released election manifesto and pledged to provide rice at Rs. 2 a kg to families with monthly income of less than Rs. 10,000 , free transport in state owned and private buses for class XI and XII students whose homes are more than five kilometres from their schools, Public health law to ensure medical insurance for which government will pay premium , doubling of welfare cash for backward classes and minorities and people in Sunderbans, Pachimanchal and North Bengal, besides made customary promises to build four four-lane national highways , hundred bridges and flyovers, at least one deep-sea port and a power – plant.

The manifesto also focused on industrialisation and levelled charges against main opposition and rival Trinamul Congress for creating anarchy and to divide the state. This time the manifesto urged for appropriate steps for refugees who took shelter in various states in India including West Bengal from Bangladesh after 1971 . It has also emphasized after agriculture on industry – need of the hour. The Front's slogan for this assembly election – industry, agriculture, peace, democracy and progress.

The Left front's main component comprised of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM), Communist Party of India (CPI), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Forward Block (FB) and these are regimented political parties, party's saying is the last word and these parties never faces problem in selecting their candidates. Considering the unsatisfactory performances CPIM dropped 9 ministers in running this year polls. The Left front's characteristics in the list of candidates that they have selected new faces 148, candidates aged 40 or less and number of Muslim candidates 56. CPIM's one functionary told this correspondent 'our party believes in injecting fresh blood into the organization, we have dropped minister and sitting legislators because of non – performance or old-age. Hashim Abdul Halim, on going speaker of the Legislative assembly and seventh terms member of the house dropped for old-age and bad health. But there were exception too – Narayan Mukherjee, 77-year old and who is MLA since 1977 again has got ticket as well 72- year old MLA Sailen Sarker who is not in good of health is also in 2011 election race. Induction of new faces formula worked in last assembly election of 2006 and the debutants had done exceptionally well, policy of replacing warhorses with younger fresh blood for growing new leadership and same formula was applied in this year polls.

When Left front already declared their candidates in all 294 seats on March 13 and announced the election manifesto but Trinamul congress and Congress took over three weeks in forming the alliance. On March 1, Indian Election commission announced six-phases polls in West Bengal from April 18, talks immediately started for a 'Jote' on sharing seats but casted a cloud over the possibility of an alliance despite several rounds of discussion held between Trinamul congress supreme Mamata Banerjee and congress stalwarts – Pranab Mukherjee, Indian Finance minister, All India Congress leader and Bengal in charge Shakeel Ahmed and central leader Janardan Poojary. Congress sources said that although state congress initially demanded 98 seats but talks remained concentrated to Congress's demand for 60 percent quality (winnable) seats and the retention of all the 19 seats it won in the last election of 2006. Finally Mamata Banerjee endorsed to 'consider' total 64 seats out of 294 seats assembly at her choice , Congress was insisting on at least seven more as well selection of these seats amicably. Although, both parties wanted the polls alliance but tussle over the quality of seats become major obstacle., both's have their own compulsions. Mamata Banerjee's stakes in this year election is much heavier than Congress; she would not hesitate to go up to any level for an alliance to avoid splitting opposition votes. Same time she is too cautious in the seat – sharing negotiations with congress. If the opportunity is missed in this election, it would have a far-cry for Chief ministership of West Bengal, so she was so desperate for having a comfortable majority, although she had predicted in announcing her party's candidates in 228 seats that Trinamul congress will secure two-third majority. Until an alliance can't forge, racing in the polls for at least a comfortable majority will not be easy because Congress have it own votes bank and these voters shall cast their votes favouring Congress candidates only despite knowing their candidate's bleak position. Both parties have equal wishes for an alliance to avoid giving any reason for their supporters in the state to believe that they are spoiler in the seat – sharing negotiations , if finally no alliance is formed, none would have become villain in the eyes of their supporters.

Congress after Parliament election of 2009 and West Bengal's various municipalities and panchayet elections where Trinamul congress striked powers branded Mamata Banerjee as next 'chief minister' of the state and even now when political parlour were frequently being held for an election alliance Congress strongly focuses her next 'chief minister' but talks did not produce positiveness, Congress requested Mamata Banerjee for time till Sonia Gandhi returns from London on March 20.

On March 18 Mamata Banerjee unilaterally announced named on her own 228 Trinamul congress candidates kept 64 seats for Congress and 2 seats for Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) her another alliance partner. Congress felt Mamata Banerjee was being very rigid and unreasonable and by putting deadline for accepting her numbers of seats – sharing deal, she also threatened to agree on her seat – sharing and constituencies of these 64 seats by March 21 failing which she will announce her own candidates in these seats. Congress realise it 'blackmail'. It was very difficult on Congress to swallow those seats offered by Mamata Banerjee , in state's northern region is congress stronghold, she had offered only 23 of the 53 seats, in southern region only 21 seats offered out of which 15 were won by the Left front in last 2006 election by a margin of over 40,000 votes, in Kolkata she did not spare a single out of 11 seats, Congress was insisting for 2 seats – Kolkata port and Metiabruz – now a South 24 – parganas constituency. A six-time legislator of Congress Ram Piary Ram from Kobithirtha, after delimitation known as Kolkata port constituency was not spared by her. Surprising she had spared only one each in Nadia, North and South 24 – Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly, no – seat in East Midnapoor. Trinamul Congress has put up a candidate in Kharagpoor sadar which the Congress's Gyan Singh Sohanpal has won nine consecutive times.

Mamata Banerjee's deadline was imposed on Congress to accept her seat – sharing formula by 4 pm March 21 and finally Indian National Congress agreed to an election alliance within deadline on Mamata's terms allocated 65 seats and constituencies also entirely at her choice – take it or leave it basis. This alliance without dignity and shamefully disgraced on part of Indian National Congress, in fact, Congress bowed down their heads at the mercy of Mamata. Since beginning Mamata Banerjee played hardball with seat – sharing negotiations knowing well that whatever she would dictate, the Congress has no option but to swallow her bitter pills. At the centre, Congress now at a great fiasco, their one alliance partner DMK of Tamil Nadu already disassociated so at this juncture they cannot either afford to irk Mamata Banerjee as her support of 19 MPs in the Indian parliament is very crucial, there was no point bringing the Central government under additional pressure by antagonising her. By calling the shots in the seat – sharing formula, Mamata has made it unambiguously that her saying was last word.

Mamata Banerjee called alliance "historic", we are happy" she said. But how far this alliance to be smooth because many West Bengal Congress leaders are crestfallen and fear that disenchanted satraps might put up rebel candidates in number of seats. State congress president pleaded helplessness after having failed to keep his word that party would contest in at least 98 seats. Several Congress leaders in West Bengal have already openly threatened to field independent candidates against Trinamul Congress nominees in protest over party's acceptance of the alliance on Mamata Banerjee's terms, dissenting voices will raise. The three sitting Congress legislators who were denied tickets already threatened to contest as independents as they consider being 'sacrificed' at the altar of the alliance with Trinamul Congress. Two senior leaders of state congress – Deepa Dasmunshi, MP and Adhir Chowdhury MP have publicly declared to field Independent candidates against the Trinamul's nominees in their respective districts. It has been proved that 126 years old Congress has become a 'bankrupt' party in West Bengal.

Trinamul congress in their list of candidates of 227 seats nominated bureaucrat, cinema artists, police officer – a variegated in colours, these candidates have no political legacy. Rahul Gandhi- grandson of Indira Gandhi and a secretary of All India Congress committee last year visited West Bengal in a part of drive for Youth congress membership, Mamata Banerjee branded him ' there are people who come like a koel before an election and disappear after chirping "kuhu kuhu"once the spring is over' but these elements- bureaucrat, cinema artists also falls at the category of koel of the spring. Party's hardcore and devoted followers become frustrated, while they sacrifice, shed their sweat for cause of uprising of the party but in election they are deprived and these spring's koel become hero and get nomination. In some places, party workers started agitation against nomination of outsiders even in front of Mamata's Kalighat home party workers staged demonstration against nomination.

Deepak Roy is the Kolkata correspondent of Weekly Blitz.

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