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New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS) The Bihar election results have come as a disappointment for the Congress and its ally Left parties, with leaders concerned preparing to strategise for re-entry into at least the 294-member West Bengal Legislative Assembly when the state goes to polls next year.
Meanwhile, West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appear to be heading for another contest in what is largely being seen as a straight fight for power.
Since breaking away from the Congress, Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee has played her political cards smartly and forged an alliance with the BJP as per the need.
His rise in politics marked a strategic shift between the BJP and the Congress. The road to dominance began with a toe – the journey went from initial dependence and national-level bargaining to an assured, regional dominance that allowed selective, interest-driven relationships rather than permanent alliances. And then there were none.
Trinamool regained complete control in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, while the two former giants – Congress and the Left Front – were reduced to almost non-existence in state politics.
After frequent clashes with the Congress leadership, Mamata formed the All India Trinamool Congress in January 1998.
By then, the only leader in the Congress whom she trusted and respected, Rajiv Gandhi, had died in a brutal assassination in May 1991. He had a heated exchange with state leaders and asked them to remain calm despite alleged atrocities by the ruling Left Front government, especially the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
In fact, he accused him of being in line with Marxists and working against the interests of the Congress in the state. She strengthened herself against both political forces in West Bengal, established her party as a regional alternative and became a vehicle for statewide mobilization.
His efforts bore fruit and Trinamool won seven seats in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, she joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Mamata accepted strategic cooperation with the NDA at the national level when it served her immediate objective of wresting influence from the strong Left Front in West Bengal.
This was a pragmatic move for a new regional party to gain national visibility and bargaining power. In the subsequent elections in 1999, Trinamool further strengthened itself by adding one more seat; And BJP also followed it and won two seats this time.
However, his interest lies in West Bengal, where he not only needs to consolidate anti-communist votes but also needs a minority mandate, where India’s last census in 2011 showed the Muslim population to be around 27 per cent.
In 2001, the Trinamool Congress walked out of the NDA in protest against the Tehelka expose on alleged corruption in India’s defense procurement system. It formed an alliance with the Congress for the 2001 assembly elections in West Bengal, where it made its presence felt, winning around 60 seats.
However, Trinamool returned to the NDA in early 2004, and this move was reflected in the Lok Sabha elections, where only Mamata could win out of the 29 seats contested by the party.
After troubling the Left with the support of BJP and Congress in 2000, he also faced the consequences of quick changes with the party’s defeat in the Kolkata civic elections in 2005.
In the 2006 assembly elections, the party failed to form the government despite massive discussions in its favour.
As Trinamool grew in stature, Mamata began emphasizing secular, populist rhetoric and publicly distanced herself from the BJP on issues where it could damage her support base in Bengal.
After all, it was with the Congress that they captured the Red Fort in 2011. But the honeymoon did not last long, giving Mamata and her party complete control.
Many viewed Mamata’s mood swings and quick turnaround in words and actions during her political journey as emotional rather than analytical; But this has proved to be the opposite.
–IANS
JB/Red