New Delhi: Even when the expected truth is told, it can come as a shock.
TMC+Congress: 222-234. Left Front: 60-72.
These aren’t so much statistics as they are indicators of a landslide. Behind them lies a sort of closure to the turbulent and violent history of West Bengal under more than 34 years of Left Front rule. Behind these figures lies the hope to the people of Bengal, going by the name of Mamata Banerjee.
The CNN-IBN-The Week post-polls confirms what has been a foregone conclusion among the political watchers in Bengal and outside. The time for change - 'paribartan' as the Trinamool slogan goes in Bengali - is here. May 13 is when the maverick Trinamool chief and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee will stake a firm claim to the Writer's Building in Kolkata.
As the figures show, the Left Front is not just going to be ousted, it is going to be virtually eliminated. The Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee-led Left Front government in Bengal had it coming. The ghosts of Nandigram, Singur and Lalgarh will continue to haunt the Indian Left for long. The flashpoints of a massive and violent struggle between the ‘people's party’ and the people may prove to be the last nail in the coffins of the beleagured Communists if they do not get their act right.
To be sure, there has been some speculation that the Left had managed to recover some lost ground over the past few months. It was supposed to have regrouped organizationally and chosen its candidates well. However, reality has clearly proved otherwise. And, unlike his counterpart in Kerala, Bhattacharjee personally has not been able to inspire either his party or voters.
According to the survey, the Left has recorded its worst vote share in three decades, managing a bare 40 per cent. That’s down a massive 10 percentage points from the 50 per cent that it recorded in 2006 – the drop clearly showing which way the voter’s choice has shifted.
Surprisingly, a high 56 per cent agreed that there has been considerable corruption in the ruling Left, which has been known for its relatively honest ways. Moreover, only 33 per cent felt that the party continued to follow its revolutionary principles. Although there has been an improvement in civic and basic amenities, the electorate has clearly made up its mind that it's time for the Left to leave the Building, literally. Change, at any cost, is the mantra.
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