Campaign for crucial West Bengal elections kicks off
Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury | Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury
Campaign for the much-awaited crucial state assembly elections in the Indian state of West Bengal has been launched with main contenders for power accusing each other on a variety of issues and promising better time, should they get the chance of governing the state for five years in next term. Rival parties and groups have kicked off the campaign for the polls that will take place in several phases beginning at the end of the current month to mid-May. The coming election has generated unprecedented interest and curiosity since the ruling Left front is facing the toughest challenge in its thirty-four years of uninterrupted rule of the state, amidst a general impression that the balloting this time will witness a change of guard in the state even though the Front leaders are seeking to assert that things will go their way despite doubts in this regard in some quarters. The politically advanced West Bengal is ruled by the leftists since 1977. Their ascendancy was such that the opponents were nowhere, even near to effectively challenging their authority either in the federal and the state assembly polls. Main challenger - the "Trinamul Congress" - a breakaway faction from the main Congress that raised storm under the leadership of Mamta Banerjee - was a force to reckon with, in the state initially, but was relegated to a hopeless situation at a later stage. However, the "Trinamul" found back its rhythm and bounced back in the West Bengal politics in last two years' time in such a fashion that Mamta's party is now poised to take over the reins in the state. It has been possible following a very impressive performance in the last federal elections (Lokshaba) when her party, in partnership with the main Congress, bagged most seats in West Bengal and also swept over the municipal polls. This has led many to believe that her electoral juggernaut will continue in the state assembly (Vidhan Shaba) elections. But the leftists, who certainly have lost at least some dominance in the state, insist that the previous voting in which they lost ground, were different from the state elections, in which they will continue to show their might, regardless of the claims of the opponents. Mamta Banerjee on Saturday launched a "Padayatra" in the state capital Kolkata when she asked people to vote for a change in the state, which she says, is in the grip of long misrule by the communists. Being also the federal railway minister, she sounded upbeat as she said the state of West Bengal is going to witness a "great election" through which a new government is coming in the state. Mamta herself is not contesting the polls, being a federal MP, but is likely to become the chief minister, if her party, in league with the Congress, succeeds in forming the new government, ending the leftist rule. On the other hand, chief minister Bhuddadev Bhattacharaya launched the campaign for his CPM-led left front when he addressed a meeting in his Jadhavpur constituency and made a virulent attack on Mamta, saying she is a "whimsical" minister for railways with "tall talks" and doing practically nothing. He claims that the leftists did many a commendable work in the West Bengal and the electorate would once again vote for the front, despite serious anti-campaign by the opponents. The main Congress also is very much in the electoral picture as federal finance minister and influential senior leader Pranab Mukherjee released the party manifesto in Kolkata and urged people to reject the leftists in the polls. He thinks the change is imminent in the state since people would this time vote for the Trinamul-Congress alliance. Two parties have forged seat adjustments after initial hiccup to fight the ruling front jointly, but both parties are not calling it straightway an "alliance" as such. However, their understanding appears to be strong and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is expected to campaign in the state soon along with her son Rahul, also a general secretary of the party. Congress central leader in charge of West Bengal Shakil Ahmed said Sonia and Rahul are confident that this time polls will bring a new government in the state. Pranab's son Abhijit Mukherjee is contesting the polls as a Congress candidate. The West Bengal polls are raising a lot of dust with accusations and counter-accusations and this remains to be seen whether the leftists are able to retain the power or the Trinamul-Congress can wrest it after 34 years of communist rule. - [email protected]
Campaign for the much-awaited crucial state assembly elections in the Indian state of West Bengal has been launched with main contenders for power accusing each other on a variety of issues and promising better time, should they get the chance of governing the state for five years in next term. Rival parties and groups have kicked off the campaign for the polls that will take place in several phases beginning at the end of the current month to mid-May. The coming election has generated unprecedented interest and curiosity since the ruling Left front is facing the toughest challenge in its thirty-four years of uninterrupted rule of the state, amidst a general impression that the balloting this time will witness a change of guard in the state even though the Front leaders are seeking to assert that things will go their way despite doubts in this regard in some quarters. The politically advanced West Bengal is ruled by the leftists since 1977. Their ascendancy was such that the opponents were nowhere, even near to effectively challenging their authority either in the federal and the state assembly polls. Main challenger - the "Trinamul Congress" - a breakaway faction from the main Congress that raised storm under the leadership of Mamta Banerjee - was a force to reckon with, in the state initially, but was relegated to a hopeless situation at a later stage. However, the "Trinamul" found back its rhythm and bounced back in the West Bengal politics in last two years' time in such a fashion that Mamta's party is now poised to take over the reins in the state. It has been possible following a very impressive performance in the last federal elections (Lokshaba) when her party, in partnership with the main Congress, bagged most seats in West Bengal and also swept over the municipal polls. This has led many to believe that her electoral juggernaut will continue in the state assembly (Vidhan Shaba) elections. But the leftists, who certainly have lost at least some dominance in the state, insist that the previous voting in which they lost ground, were different from the state elections, in which they will continue to show their might, regardless of the claims of the opponents. Mamta Banerjee on Saturday launched a "Padayatra" in the state capital Kolkata when she asked people to vote for a change in the state, which she says, is in the grip of long misrule by the communists. Being also the federal railway minister, she sounded upbeat as she said the state of West Bengal is going to witness a "great election" through which a new government is coming in the state. Mamta herself is not contesting the polls, being a federal MP, but is likely to become the chief minister, if her party, in league with the Congress, succeeds in forming the new government, ending the leftist rule. On the other hand, chief minister Bhuddadev Bhattacharaya launched the campaign for his CPM-led left front when he addressed a meeting in his Jadhavpur constituency and made a virulent attack on Mamta, saying she is a "whimsical" minister for railways with "tall talks" and doing practically nothing. He claims that the leftists did many a commendable work in the West Bengal and the electorate would once again vote for the front, despite serious anti-campaign by the opponents. The main Congress also is very much in the electoral picture as federal finance minister and influential senior leader Pranab Mukherjee released the party manifesto in Kolkata and urged people to reject the leftists in the polls. He thinks the change is imminent in the state since people would this time vote for the Trinamul-Congress alliance. Two parties have forged seat adjustments after initial hiccup to fight the ruling front jointly, but both parties are not calling it straightway an "alliance" as such. However, their understanding appears to be strong and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is expected to campaign in the state soon along with her son Rahul, also a general secretary of the party. Congress central leader in charge of West Bengal Shakil Ahmed said Sonia and Rahul are confident that this time polls will bring a new government in the state. Pranab's son Abhijit Mukherjee is contesting the polls as a Congress candidate. The West Bengal polls are raising a lot of dust with accusations and counter-accusations and this remains to be seen whether the leftists are able to retain the power or the Trinamul-Congress can wrest it after 34 years of communist rule. - [email protected]