11-11-2009, 04:21 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Left trounced again</b>
pioneer.com
Shikha Mukerjee
The results of the Assembly by-elections in West Bengal have once again demonstrated that the CPI(M)-led Left Front is rapidly losing popular support. The Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance led by Mamata Banerjee continues to grab territory till now held by the Left
Change is in, continuity is out and the CPI(M)âs claim that it represents stability has been rejected. The entirely expected results of the by-elections to 10 Assembly seats in West Bengal are a clear signal that the Trinamool Congress, like a juggernaut, continues to roll on and occupy the Leftâs turf.
Never before in any election in West Bengal has the CPI(M) drawn a blank. Never before in any election has the Opposition won nine out of 10 seats. The Forward Bloc has made a brave stand, winning the Goalpokhor seat.
The Trinamool Congress contested seven seats out of the 10 that went to the polls on November 7; it won all seven. The message from the voters is, therefore, clear: The Trinamool Congress is the preferred choice.
It was argued till this result was declared that the Trinamool Congress was winning on a strongly negative sentiment against the 32 year old regime led by the CPI(M). Pundits indicated that a particularly virulent strain of anti-incumbency had been at work which produced the series of CPI(M) losses, from the panchayat elections in 2008 to the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and other municipal and by-elections in between.
It would be difficult to sustain that argument now. This round of by-elections was different to begin with. Nine of the 10 constituencies where elections were held, were seats vacated by winners who had moved up from the State Assembly to the Lok Sabha. Of the seven seats that the Trinamool Congress contested, five were already in its possession before the by-elections. It has won the prestigious Belgachia East seat in addition, defeating the ghost (including his trade mark white panama hat used as a sentimental reminder in the campaign) of late State Sports Minister Subhas Chakraborty.
It could be argued that the loss of the Goalpokhor seat for the Congress, vacated by current Member of Parliament Deepa Das Munshi after her election, is a serious loss of face for the feisty critic of the Trinamool Congress. However, Ms Deepa Das Munshiâs loss is not a gain for the Left Front, even though the Forward Bloc has registered an unexpected win. The Forward Blocâs gain is reward for its sustained hard labour over the past three years to distance itself from the CPI(M) on critical issues such as land acquisition, industrialisation, Special Economic Zones, security operations against the Maoists; it is confirmation that the partyâs efforts at distancing itself from its larger partner have paid off.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
pioneer.com
Shikha Mukerjee
The results of the Assembly by-elections in West Bengal have once again demonstrated that the CPI(M)-led Left Front is rapidly losing popular support. The Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance led by Mamata Banerjee continues to grab territory till now held by the Left
Change is in, continuity is out and the CPI(M)âs claim that it represents stability has been rejected. The entirely expected results of the by-elections to 10 Assembly seats in West Bengal are a clear signal that the Trinamool Congress, like a juggernaut, continues to roll on and occupy the Leftâs turf.
Never before in any election in West Bengal has the CPI(M) drawn a blank. Never before in any election has the Opposition won nine out of 10 seats. The Forward Bloc has made a brave stand, winning the Goalpokhor seat.
The Trinamool Congress contested seven seats out of the 10 that went to the polls on November 7; it won all seven. The message from the voters is, therefore, clear: The Trinamool Congress is the preferred choice.
It was argued till this result was declared that the Trinamool Congress was winning on a strongly negative sentiment against the 32 year old regime led by the CPI(M). Pundits indicated that a particularly virulent strain of anti-incumbency had been at work which produced the series of CPI(M) losses, from the panchayat elections in 2008 to the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and other municipal and by-elections in between.
It would be difficult to sustain that argument now. This round of by-elections was different to begin with. Nine of the 10 constituencies where elections were held, were seats vacated by winners who had moved up from the State Assembly to the Lok Sabha. Of the seven seats that the Trinamool Congress contested, five were already in its possession before the by-elections. It has won the prestigious Belgachia East seat in addition, defeating the ghost (including his trade mark white panama hat used as a sentimental reminder in the campaign) of late State Sports Minister Subhas Chakraborty.
It could be argued that the loss of the Goalpokhor seat for the Congress, vacated by current Member of Parliament Deepa Das Munshi after her election, is a serious loss of face for the feisty critic of the Trinamool Congress. However, Ms Deepa Das Munshiâs loss is not a gain for the Left Front, even though the Forward Bloc has registered an unexpected win. The Forward Blocâs gain is reward for its sustained hard labour over the past three years to distance itself from the CPI(M) on critical issues such as land acquisition, industrialisation, Special Economic Zones, security operations against the Maoists; it is confirmation that the partyâs efforts at distancing itself from its larger partner have paid off.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->