The Left Front was in power for 34 years in West Bengal until Mamata Banerjee took over the reins in 2011. The CPI(M) and its allies were decimated to zero seats, along with the Congress, in the 2021 Assembly elections. The Left Front is hoping that this time they will gain some seats and increase their vote share from 3.1% recorded in the last elections.
This time, the Left is fighting to stay relevant and has fielded several younger candidates to establish a connection with the people to combat the political strategies of BJP and TMC candidates. It has fielded 239 candidates out of the 294 constituencies, hoping to see their fortunes change, despite the main fight being between the TMC and the BJP.
“This time, we expect that the 'zero' stigma will be removed,” said CPI(M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, who is contesting from the Jadavpur seat—the erstwhile bastion of former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya. The urban constituency falls under the Lok Sabha seat of the same name, which has been represented by eminent personalities like former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and incumbent Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
“Yes, they may open their account this time. They are putting up a tough fight for several seats in Murshidabad and in South Bengal,” said Professor Maidul Islam, a political science professor at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences.
Bhattacharya feels both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP indulge in right-wing politics, while people in West Bengal are looking for a suitable alternative political ideology.
“After 15 years of a misguided journey, people have realised the Left Front government had planned and executed the overall development of the state. Development of the state does not depend on dole politics. This is a negative approach by right-wing politics,” said Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya. He added that the BJP and the TMC are approaching people with the same offerings; the only difference is the quantum of money, with no regard for people’s self-respect, self-dependence, and employment.
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“At the ground level, the sense is that people want a turnaround, and hopefully, this will benefit Left politics,” he added.
The allegations against Mamata regarding appeasement politics have led the Left to question her approach. “Mamata has appeased Hindus and Muslims alike, such as by giving allowances to priests and imams, and giving state funds to Durga Puja organisers. This is not the duty of the state government. Using public money for the construction of a temple is unthinkable,” added Bhattacharya.
For the Left Front, the minority vote bank—which comprises around 30% of the population in the state—was historically important for them as well. This support slowly veered in favour of Mamata and the TMC.
