West Bengal Loses Confidence in CPI-M

COMMUNICATION

The inevitable has happened. The CPI-M has been roundly trounced in the recently held municipal elections in West Bengal. Whether the defeat is indicative of the results of the forthcoming Assembly elections may be debated, the ground reality is that the party has lost the confidence of the people of West Bengal. The rural population has moved away from the party because of the forcible acquisition of fertile lands in Nandigram an Singur. The urbanities are tired of the high-handedness of the cadres who have infiltrated into the party with the tacit support of the leaders to derive personal benefits. A close friend, a supporter of the party, who stays in a residential complex, once told me that the party lumpens in the area decide which taxi should be hired by a passenger. The educated middle-class abhor the arrogance of the top leaders.

Common sense suggests that the CPI-M-led Left Front Government should now resign and run a caretaker government and do some introspection to find out what went wrong. In case the party loses the Assembly elections, it should accept the verdict in good grace and function as a responsible Opposition. The Communists are more effective when in the Opposition. It may be recalled how effectively the party functioned in the Opposition under the charismatic leadership of Jyoti Basu. There would be a large-scale migration of the lumpen elements to the party in power.

A.K. Dasgupta

A 203 San Remo Apartments, Masab Tank, Hyderabad 500 028

Phone: 66664498(R) / E-mail: arunkantid@yahoo.co.in