India's General Election was one of the most crucial event which the world was closely watching this year. The world's largest democracy has a lot of things to offer in the midst of global economic slowdown. In the recession hit market Indians have selected the Congress Party to run a stable government. It is a clear people verdict. Obviously, India's oldest political party is really happy to get this mandate by Indian citizens. It will lead the alliance called UPA (United Progressive Alliance) for the second consecutive term.
There are several things to notice in this Lok Sabha Election. Congress has won a huge number of seats which is beyond their calculations. The Left Parties have performed severely bad. The Left bastion of West Bengal has been ruined by Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress which made an alliance with Congress before the election started. This is worst performance of the Left since 1977 when they came to serve the people of West Bengal. During '70s West Bengal was on fire as the Naxalite movement was at its nascent phase and at its all time high. A lot of young educated talented Bengali youths jumped into Naxalism with an aim to drastically change the rotten system which forces the poor to become slave of the rich; which persuades farmers to commit suicide. The Naxalite movement was a clear war against Imperialism. A group of people like Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal started a political party named as Communist Part of India (Marxist-Leninist) [CPI(M-L)] after coming out of
Communist Part of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], the biggest Left party of modern India. The internal clash of opinions about the form of Communist movement led to the formation of CPI(M-L). No matter, how they wanted a revolution in India's social system. What matters is what they wanted. Both CPI(M) and CPI(M-L) were keen on the social development of the poor. Numerous communists were killed by the then Congress government of the state led by the Chief Minister Siddhartha Sankar Ray. It was a dark period in the history of Indian politics.
The Left has been running the government in the state of West Bengal since 1977. But, the result of this Lok Sabha Election is clearly a deep wound on the Red Body. It is a Red Alert for the Left given by the people of WB about their functioning. If they do not take corrective measures and make reforms within the organization and in administration, then a clear danger is waiting for them. Probably, the Red Fort will observe its destruction after the WB Assembly Election which is going to happen after two years until and unless the Left become able to rejuvenate its connection with the common people.
There are views and counter views as usual about the performance of Trinamool Congress. People are saying that the people of WB have gone crazy and it is proved by result which shows peole's faith on Mamata Banerjee, the lady who drove Tata's people car 'Nano' out of the state. Some folks are doubtful about high tech rigging implemented on EVMs by Congress. And obviously there are people who see this as the Red Alert for the Left. Without moaning on the recent debacle if the Left takes this as Red Alert it will be better for them.
-Arnab Mandal
Delhi
