Politics in West Bengal is now essentially a contest between the TMC and the BJP, leaving little room for the Left and even the Congress.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are locked in a head-to-head political battle ahead of the much-awaited high-stakes elections in West Bengal. However, the role of the Left Front led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) in the elections and in the state remains uncertain, especially with regard to its electoral strength and ability to act as a third force.
The party ruled Bengal for 34 consecutive years (1977-2011) until the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC ousted the Communist Party of India (Maoist) from power 15 years ago. Although the Left Front, led by the party, fielded more than 200 candidates for the upcoming elections, its voter base has diminished over time, a trend that was also evident in the previous elections.
CPI(M), Left’s diminishing role in West Bengal politics
The left emerged as a powerful political force during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1977, the Left Front led by the CPI (Maoist) came to power with a sweeping victory.
It remained in power for 34 consecutive years, making it the longest-running democratically elected communist government in the world.
While the Left introduced land reform measures and retained support among many people, it also relied on force and violence in some cases to maintain its control, as stated in a previous Hizb ut-Tahrir report.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who took office in November 2000, was able to maintain calm in the early years of his tenure, but the situation changed when he pushed for new industries and the issue of land acquisition arose.
Deadly clashes between CPI(M) and TMC workers in Nandigram, where Bhattacharjee planned to set up a chemical centre, turned into a major election issue and contributed to the Left’s defeat in 2011.
Is the left still active in the country?
Politics in West Bengal is now essentially a contest between the TMC and the BJP, leaving little room for the Left and even the Congress. The Communist Party of India (Maoist) is trying to build alliances with parties that share similar views to take on both the TMC and the BJP this time.
While the party and the Left Alliance have fielded several candidates, the shrinking vote base remains a major reason behind the limited role of the Left in the country.
Let’s look at the 2021 House of Representatives elections for example. The All India Trinamool Congress won 215 of the 294 seats and returned to power for a third term. Ten years after losing power, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) has not been able to secure even a single seat in the state. Meanwhile, the BJP saw a strong rise in its support, winning 77 seats.
The Left failed to win any seats, and its vote share fell to single digits for the CPI(M) and its coalition partners.
What do you expect this time?
This time too, the main contest is likely to be between the TMC and the BJP. Other parties, including the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and the Congress, are expected to have a limited role, mostly splitting votes in close contests between the two major parties.
The party’s historically important role, which has been electorally weakened, in the state is now more focused on regaining some presence rather than emerging as a genuine alternative to the TMC and the BJP.
In these elections, the CPI(M) will also face competition from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) alliance, which is likely to attract votes in areas with a large Muslim population.
Aryan Mudgal is a content producer at Hindustan Times with nearly three years of experience. He is part of the digital news team at HT and enjoys covering daily news and writing long, detailed featurettes on key national and global affairs. He is particularly interested in reading and writing about Indian politics, crime and civil issues, as well as world affairs. He goes berserk when covering elections, especially Lok Sabha and polls, and is always on the lookout for new stories that can interest readers. At Hindustan Times, Aryan has covered several major events, including the Bihar Assembly elections, Maharashtra civic polls, US military action in Venezuela, the Union Budget, and the Bangladesh elections. He previously worked with the caption team at Firstpost and the news desk at Times Network, where he covered a range of events including the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the war between Israel and Hamas, the war between Russia and Ukraine, student protests in Bangladesh, the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, the Delhi Assembly elections, and more. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in CEP (Communication and Media, English, and Psychology) from Christ University, Bengaluru, and later obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). He hails from Siliguri in West Bengal and enjoys reading about politics and daily issues related to the state. Outside of work, Aryan loves listening to music and enjoys rewatching his favorite shows.Read more
