MAMATA MAY WIN THIS SYMBOLIC SECOND TERM ...

Bengal has not changed much since it has been under the rule of Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC). The TMC-led government has been trying to attract industries and investments from outside as did its Communist-led predecessor. And, as it was the case during the Left rule, all efforts by the present government in West Bengal to attract investors from outside the state or country have miserably failed. The fear aroused among industrialists following the forced exit of the Tatas from Singur hasn't died down as yet.

It is an undeniable fact that Ms Banerjee has lost much of that popularity she used to enjoy in the past and her image as a messiah for "common man" has taken a severe beating which has induced her two former adversaries, the communists and the Congress, to come together. And as the opposition combination has nothing to lose, maybe this is best time to win back some of the lost ground (read constituencies) by exploiting people’s disenchantment with Mamata & her party.

But the above does not mean that the Cong-Left alliance is any better placed. Their possibility of gain doesn’t conceal the fact that neither the Left nor the Congress has a capable, credible, let alone inspirational, leader. The former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya is no longer a popular man in his own party. Similarly, the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) is left with the second-rung leaders after nearly all its top brass migrated to the Trinamool for greener pastures. Yet the two allies still hope to gain from the anti-incumbency factor that is working against the Mamata party, whereas deep down the Communist-Congress alliance is aware that time is not ripe as yet and it shall be difficult to unseat Mamata now.

And so Mamata Banerjee may win this election, although it will be a symbolic second term with a government more fragile comparatively to the euphoria she had generated five years ago. Most importantly, her victory or defeat shall hardly make a difference to a state which is expected to remain mired in economic stagnation with high rate of unemployment making the youth cannon fodder in the hands of crafty politicians.

Although there have been some ornamental changes in the last five years, but they are too weak to be discussed about as they failed to make a positive difference to the exchequer of the state. But whatever the outcome be, one thing is certain that what seemed like a cakewalk for Mamata’s party a few weeks back has suddenly turned into an interesting electoral battle.



http://www.milligazette.com/news/14149-mamata-may-win-this-symbolic-second-term-west-bengal