aAt an ‘Insaaf Rally’ in Kolkata on 20 September, police refused permission to the organizers – the student and youth wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) – to set up a stage. Enthused by the assembled crowd, CPI(M) West Bengal secretary Mohammad Salim said the administration could deny that “ mancha (stage)”, but it can’t stop” Manushi (people)” by coming to the rally. In the last few months, rallies of Left parties, especially the CPI(M) have witnessed huge crowds in the state.
After the 2021 assembly elections in West Bengal, when the Trinamool Congress successfully withstood the onslaught of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the opposition circle in the state is shrinking. After 2021, the Trinamool not only won all the by-elections and won the civic polls, but the vote share of the main opposition BJP in the state also fell significantly. In some cases, the Left parties registered equal or more votes than the BJP. For example, in the by-elections to Ballygunge assembly constituency held in March this year, the CPI(M) candidate came second, securing more votes than the BJP candidate.
After 2021, politics in West Bengal has been in a state of flux. The ruling Trinamool, despite its electoral success, is plagued by scams and the BJP has not been able to reverse its political decline. This situation provides a glimmer of hope for the Left to regain lost ground. The death of student leader Anish Khan in February 2022 became a rallying point for the student and youth wing of the CPI(M). Recently, allegations of corruption in the recruitment process conducted by the School Service Commission brought activists of the Left parties on the streets.
Despite drawing large crowds, the Left parties, especially the CPI(M), face the challenge of reaching their core support base. The Left was in power in West Bengal for 34 years (1977–2011) with the support of the working class, farmers and workers in the unorganized sector, including labor-intensive industries such as tea and jute. More than 11 years after the Left Front lost power to the Trinamool, trade unions have almost disappeared. This has made it almost impossible for the workers to fight for their rights. Farmers were also an important part of the support base of the Left parties. The hold of the Left parties on farmers and sharecroppers has also weakened during the Trinamool rule. Though there are reports of agrarian distress, the Left has failed to motivate the farmers.
There is also a crisis of leadership. After former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee resigned from active politics due to ill health, there has been no mass leader who appeals to Left activists, both young and old. The CPI(M) has tried to rope in new faces, but to no avail. Fielding student leaders from universities in Kolkata or Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi may grab headlines, but such efforts have not brought electoral gains to the party.
For the Left, the current political situation provides an opportunity to connect with their native constituency – the working class. When jute mills in South Bengal shut down or workers in tea gardens in Dooars are denied wages or farmers die in Bardhaman or Hooghly, they need to be more active. Dues have not been paid to lakhs of laborers for the work done under MGNREGA in West Bengal. Leftists can raise their issue.
The Left is also plagued by confusing messages. For the last four-five years, since the BJP started expanding its base in West Bengal, one strategy of the Left is to target ‘Modi’ (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and ‘Didi’ (West Bengal Chief Minister) . Mamata Banerjee) together, often in the same line. While there is nothing politically wrong in conveying such a message, the Left needs to make it clear to its supporters who is now the biggest political adversary.
Strong unity is needed even within the Left. No Left party including CPI(M) has any representation in the state assembly. Therefore, it makes no sense to organize different events. In fact, there is a need to bring more Left parties together and organize continuous programs on the rights of workers and farmers.