Top Indian leaders campaign in crucial West Bengal polls
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury
Indian political heavyweights have descended in the West Bengal state for the crucial state assembly elections, now midway through the five-phase staggered voting that began on April 18 and would conclude on May 10. Electioneering has reached a crescendo as the top leaders of major political parties are throwing their weight to woo the electorate in the balloting that is being seen as crucially important for a variety of reasons. Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi, a general secretary of the Congress, and other senior party leaders including union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, all are very much in the thick of the campaign in the state. Although the Congress party is no longer a force to reckon with in the state, but of late it is improving its position. The focus is evidently on Mamata Baneerjee, leader of the Trinamul Congress, an organization confined only within West Bengal, which is doing well in the early round of polls and many believe the party is almost in the doorstep of winning the current elections and coming to power in the state. Mamata herself is leading the bandwagon and is clearly eyeing at the chief minister-ship of the state although she is presently holding the important portfolio as federal minister of railways. The Congress and the Trinamul have reached a seat adjustment in the 294-seat "Bidhan Shaba" with the major partner Trinamul leaving 65 seats for the Congress. The ruling left front, a combination of several leftists organizations led by main communist party CPI (M), is struggling hard this time to retain its political ascendancy in West Bengal, where it has won all the seven previous elections beginning 1977. Chief Minister Bhuddadev Bhattacharaya is leading a difficult campaign this time as the opponents feel the days of communist rule in the state is on the verge of ending while the leftist are seeking to put a brave face, saying only the verdict of the voters would show that the politically advanced state would continue to prefer the progressive forces. Both sides are desperate - one to retain power and the other to wrest it and it remains to be seen who would have the last laugh when the results are announced on May 13. The development in West Bengal are also a matter of great interest in Bangladesh obviously for the geographical and other proximities while the voting is also evoking immense interest outside India. The first phase of polls have taken place on April 18, followed by the second one on April 23 and the next round will be held on 27 with the last round scheduled on May 10.The turnout so far has been exceedingly high, even surpassing 80 per cent in many districts, which reflects the interest and enthusiasm of the people for the elections. In the last phase in Birbhum, Nadia and Murshidabad districts, the turnout was massive as none really wants to lag behind in exercising their franchise in an election that has generated unprecedented excitement in 34 years, since the leftist first came to power that they have steadfastly maintained so far with the biggest challenge in 2011. The communists are missing legendary leader Jyoti Basu, who had led the leftists in coming to power and remained at the helm of the state government till a few years ago when he relinquished voluntarily on health grounds. Basu died last year and his absence is being very much felt in the electioneering this time as he did campaign in the last election. However, the ruling Left front received a boost when its expelled senior leader Somnath Chatterjee, a former Speaker of the Lokshaba (lower house of Indian parliament) finally agreed to campaign for the communists ending his anger and grievances against the ruling front. He campaigned on Sunday for the first time raising some eyebrows as many thought he would keep a distance from his own party. Chatterjee was temporarily expelled from his CPI(M) party when he refused to oblige a party whip while being Speaker to vote against the government of Monmohan Singh during a vote of confidence in the house on Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation. He maintained that he ceased to be a party man when elected Speaker of the lower house and must maintain that neutrality while in that chair. This approach earned him great acclamation from several quarters, but his party came down heavily on him for violating organisational discipline and he was expelled. Chatterjee, while campaigning, launched a strong attack against Prime Minister Singh, saying he respected him personally but it is regrettable that the premier was seeking to mislead the West Bengal people through wrong information. It may be mentioned that Dr Singh shared the dais with Mamata Baneerjee and others and asked people to reject leftists and free the state from the "misrule". Earlier, both Sonia and Rahul campaigned separately in the rural areas like Maldah and Kochbihar, exhorting people to vote for the Trinamul-Congress to end the communist rule. Central leftist leaders Prakash Karat and Bindra Karat are among the communist leaders to campaign in West Bengal. BJP heavyweight Lal Krishna Advani is also in electioneering although his party has no base as such in this state. Many celebrities including Zeenat Aman travelled from Mumbai to drum up support for the Trinamul. The elections are the most hard-fought and exciting polls in last three and half decades in West Bengal billed as "Change or Return?" Meaning, whether the state will go for changing the guards in governance or return those who are there for long 34 years. Many feel that the chances are bright for a change although there is no tide or wave as such while many also feel that the leftists may be able to cling to power once again with much reduced strength. ................................................... E-mail: zaglulbb@yahoo.com
Indian political heavyweights have descended in the West Bengal state for the crucial state assembly elections, now midway through the five-phase staggered voting that began on April 18 and would conclude on May 10. Electioneering has reached a crescendo as the top leaders of major political parties are throwing their weight to woo the electorate in the balloting that is being seen as crucially important for a variety of reasons. Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi, a general secretary of the Congress, and other senior party leaders including union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, all are very much in the thick of the campaign in the state. Although the Congress party is no longer a force to reckon with in the state, but of late it is improving its position. The focus is evidently on Mamata Baneerjee, leader of the Trinamul Congress, an organization confined only within West Bengal, which is doing well in the early round of polls and many believe the party is almost in the doorstep of winning the current elections and coming to power in the state. Mamata herself is leading the bandwagon and is clearly eyeing at the chief minister-ship of the state although she is presently holding the important portfolio as federal minister of railways. The Congress and the Trinamul have reached a seat adjustment in the 294-seat "Bidhan Shaba" with the major partner Trinamul leaving 65 seats for the Congress. The ruling left front, a combination of several leftists organizations led by main communist party CPI (M), is struggling hard this time to retain its political ascendancy in West Bengal, where it has won all the seven previous elections beginning 1977. Chief Minister Bhuddadev Bhattacharaya is leading a difficult campaign this time as the opponents feel the days of communist rule in the state is on the verge of ending while the leftist are seeking to put a brave face, saying only the verdict of the voters would show that the politically advanced state would continue to prefer the progressive forces. Both sides are desperate - one to retain power and the other to wrest it and it remains to be seen who would have the last laugh when the results are announced on May 13. The development in West Bengal are also a matter of great interest in Bangladesh obviously for the geographical and other proximities while the voting is also evoking immense interest outside India. The first phase of polls have taken place on April 18, followed by the second one on April 23 and the next round will be held on 27 with the last round scheduled on May 10.The turnout so far has been exceedingly high, even surpassing 80 per cent in many districts, which reflects the interest and enthusiasm of the people for the elections. In the last phase in Birbhum, Nadia and Murshidabad districts, the turnout was massive as none really wants to lag behind in exercising their franchise in an election that has generated unprecedented excitement in 34 years, since the leftist first came to power that they have steadfastly maintained so far with the biggest challenge in 2011. The communists are missing legendary leader Jyoti Basu, who had led the leftists in coming to power and remained at the helm of the state government till a few years ago when he relinquished voluntarily on health grounds. Basu died last year and his absence is being very much felt in the electioneering this time as he did campaign in the last election. However, the ruling Left front received a boost when its expelled senior leader Somnath Chatterjee, a former Speaker of the Lokshaba (lower house of Indian parliament) finally agreed to campaign for the communists ending his anger and grievances against the ruling front. He campaigned on Sunday for the first time raising some eyebrows as many thought he would keep a distance from his own party. Chatterjee was temporarily expelled from his CPI(M) party when he refused to oblige a party whip while being Speaker to vote against the government of Monmohan Singh during a vote of confidence in the house on Indo-US civilian nuclear cooperation. He maintained that he ceased to be a party man when elected Speaker of the lower house and must maintain that neutrality while in that chair. This approach earned him great acclamation from several quarters, but his party came down heavily on him for violating organisational discipline and he was expelled. Chatterjee, while campaigning, launched a strong attack against Prime Minister Singh, saying he respected him personally but it is regrettable that the premier was seeking to mislead the West Bengal people through wrong information. It may be mentioned that Dr Singh shared the dais with Mamata Baneerjee and others and asked people to reject leftists and free the state from the "misrule". Earlier, both Sonia and Rahul campaigned separately in the rural areas like Maldah and Kochbihar, exhorting people to vote for the Trinamul-Congress to end the communist rule. Central leftist leaders Prakash Karat and Bindra Karat are among the communist leaders to campaign in West Bengal. BJP heavyweight Lal Krishna Advani is also in electioneering although his party has no base as such in this state. Many celebrities including Zeenat Aman travelled from Mumbai to drum up support for the Trinamul. The elections are the most hard-fought and exciting polls in last three and half decades in West Bengal billed as "Change or Return?" Meaning, whether the state will go for changing the guards in governance or return those who are there for long 34 years. Many feel that the chances are bright for a change although there is no tide or wave as such while many also feel that the leftists may be able to cling to power once again with much reduced strength. ................................................... E-mail: zaglulbb@yahoo.com