Indeed, it has been amazing. The West Bengal state, the stronghold of leftist parties, mainly CPI (M), suffered a historic defeat and thus the 34 consecutive years of power ended in a dismal way. One convenient point is that the event is seen by all contemporaries as being momentous, and of course, a radical departure from the trends in the past. The West Bengal election results can be described as historic without any controversy.
No one could have predicted such a verdict. Most people had taken left rule for granted in the state, so, though delayed, democracy proved a point, “you cannot get away with false promises and non-delivery time and again”. People wanted paribartan (change) and, most rightly, they have voted for it. They are now saying that a green revolution has “liberated” the state from the world’s longest democratically elected communist government.
An in-depth analysis of the reasons for Left’s debacle is needed. From the decaying Darjeeling and the dismal tea gardens in the Dooars to the sick industrial units in the old belt of Durgapore–Assansol and on both sides of the river Hooghly, it is a long row of graveyards that the Left front leaves behind in Bengal. One may argue, they never inherited “Sonar Bangla” (Golden Bengal), which had its problems both economic and political, instigated by the partition of Bengal in 1947.
Nevertheless, one has no other alternative but to criticize the CPM’s irresponsible trade unionism that systematically destroyed the small factories in Howrah, once known as the Sheffield of India. From the very beginning, the Left, instead of reversing the trend in economic decline, prompted dismantling more and more edifices, economic and institutional, with greater velocity. The assault inflicted by the Left on educational system has had a shocking effect – from university to colleges and schools, at all levels, loyalty to the party prevailed over the professional procedure for recruitment.
The CPM’s crusade against excellence and modernity in either education or industry was far from what its Chinese comrades were doing at the time. Deng Xiaoping was launching the four modernizations in China around the time the leftists in Bengal were fighting tooth and nail to prevent the introduction of computers in industry and service sectors. In the final analysis, it needs to be mentioned that the leftists in Bengal (I mean the CPM) had gradually moved away from all forms of economic and political radicalism in the villages.
Deng Xiaoping was launching the four modernizations in China around the time the leftists in Bengal were fighting tooth and nail to prevent the introduction of computers in industry and service sectors.
With the assistance of party’s support and help, a new “middle” class, made of school teachers, middle turn – rich farmers and small and medium contractors of government funded schemes, pushed the poor away not only from leadership but also from any form of decision making process both in political and economic fields in the state.
Mamata Banerjee, the great change leader in Bengal, has a herculean task in front of her party to turn around the fortunes of Bengal. The foremost of all the tasks is to ensure free and fair governance, change the work culture – from laziness to a productive one!
I firmly believe that this historic change in the political regime in Bengal can provide very useful learning to the neighboring countries, struggling to establish a proper democratic system, where people could freely decide on their preferences. Having spent so many years in Nepal and also being deeply associated with this beautiful country, I think time is now more than opportune for the revered politicians to pay a genuine heed to understand the peoples’ needs and accordingly harness the great resources that almighty has conferred to Nepal for a holistic growth of the country. Lets us not wait for 34 long years for getting another opportunity.
Writer is CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Ltd
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