It can literally be called Left Dynasty in West Bengal. For long 34 years, the CPI(M) and other left parties ruled Bengal with iron fist, courtesy a weak and divided opposition. Against a cadre based party, disciplined and organised, Congress was and still is a Leader based party.It has more leaders than workers and these leaders are rooted in the capital city in comfort and luxury. To reach its roots to the remotest part of the state and upto the grassroot level, it was necessary for the CPI(M) to satisfy the hunger of the Congress leaders with a part of the booty they looted . Congress as a party went for hibernation even when the state was in flames.
Mamata Banerjee, then a youth Congress leader, was an exception. She was brave,incorruptible and emotional which are disqualifications for Indian politics. What was inevitable had happened in 1998 when she had to leave the old stable and launched her new party, Trinamul Congress. Her clean image, simple living,charisma or style of functioning were not enough for dismantling a Left castle built meantime on rock like party organisation. From unorganised rickshaw puller to university vice chancellor, all were loyal to Allimuddin street office. In some areas, it was whispered, not even a leaf of a tree moves without permission from the party bosses.Mamata Banerjee did not have any grassroot level organisation . Whenever, a few dare devils tried to show defiance, they were mercilessly silenced. The recovery of so many skulls from different places points to a reign of inexplicable torture and horror. She failed to dislodge CPI(M) despite having popular urge for a chage because she could not take them upto the voting booths.And, added to this was the clandestine conspiracy of the congress who did not want her to become a potential political personality.
This time, although the wave of change was in her favour, she did not make a mistake by letting loose a grredy and corrupt congress to spoil her war against CPM. She made an alliance and won absolute majority.
Congress in the centre is afraid of her popularity. It knows very well that given adequate financial aid for a devastated state, she would bring about a miraculous change and congress will simply become signboards in Bengal. So, the policy of the High Command is to appease Mamata on one hand and ask state leaders to attack her on the other hand. The confrontation has come to such a state that it is difficult to differentiate between Congress and CPM whenever a certain issue surfaces.
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