Recently I had a chance to meet Tripura CM Manik Sarkar in his room. There was a picture of Tagore hanging in his room, the same Tagore who was used by Mamata Banerjee to push out the CPM from power in Bengal. The people of Bengal sing the songs of Tagore with fervour and Tagore is a sentiment which binds all Bengalis irrespective of their caste or religion.
Even though the CPM has not been showing much respect to Tagore, Manik Sarkar is a different leader and he has not allowed the party's idiosyncrasies to be implemented in Tripura. The difference in attitude has glaringly altered the political ground realities in the two states as far as the CPM is concerned.
There are certain political realities in Bengal that the average Keralite might not understand. During the last Parliament election, there were certain understanding between the CPM and the BJP. The BJP had money but no people to write its messages on the wall during campaigns. The CPM was ready to take the contract to write BJP's inscriptions on the walls. However, when the dust and heat settled after the elections, the BJP had two MPs in its credit as those who went to write on the walls for the BJP joined that party.
The CPM does not seem to have a chance in Bengal this year when Assembly elections are held. This is because the low-level cadre of the party have moved on to the Trinamool Congress. The weakening of the grassroots has also weakened the party from head to toe. What the CPM did before, including dissuading people from voting, is now being effectively done by the Trinamool Congress workers.
In this situation, the CPM has to align with the Congress if it has to exist. The Congress is powerful only in Malda. If the CPM shares the stage with the Congress, it could come second in Bengal, else the BJP would take that place.
Meanwhile the CPM has promoted a leader called Mohammed Salim, which could be considered as a long-term positive strategy. His oratorical skills and secular credentials have endeared him to the people of Bengal. He also carries the simplicity and sincerity that are the hallmarks of the party. Abdul Razack Molla, another leader who shared the same qualities, was ditched by the party long ago. Salim is expected to replace Buddadev Bhatacharya who lacks charisma and leadership qualities.
Mamata is capable even as a single entity and she has played her cards well to give the feeling that she stands for the poor. Wherever the CPM botched its chance to get close to the people, Mamata made credible advances to become the messiah of the poor. Singur is an example. While 600 acres were needed for a factory, the Left government acquired another 400 acres for no good reason and then drove away farmers in that area. Mamata jumped on the chance and made her way to power. She plays her cards well even now and has been successful in scoring points against the CPM in each face off. For example, in its 34 years of rule, the CPM did not provide air conditioned facilities for farmers to store potatoes. Mamata provided the facility as soon as she came to power and farmers did not have to depend on private parties. She also called on CPM think tanks to vote for her. Even as they went to attend the party meeting for fear of being beaten up, they voted for Mamata. CPM leaders, who expected a lot seeing the strength of their party meetings, did not know what hit them when the election results were announced.
Mamata is also quite adept at leaking the CPM's strategies before it even reaches top leaders of the party. For example, it is believed that she would now have on her table, all the details of the CPM plenum and she would have started planning ahead.
The plight of the CPM is pitiable because now it often meets secretively. There is none to turn to if Trinamool leaders decide to thrash a few CPM party members for fun. On the other hand, all workers are 'dadas' in Trinamool.
V.S. Achunthanandan is a favourite with the Bengal CPM. His picture was recently carried by Anandbazar, which sells 12 lakh copies every day. There is a reason for this. When the Singur agitation was going on in Bengal, VS was busy with his action against illegal encroachments in Munnar. People in Bengal were told that VS was driving away the Tatas in Kerala while the Bengal unit was welcoming the Tatas. That message made VS a hero in Bengal and the party can even consider 'transferring' him to Bengal to help its cause there. The papers that load heaps of praise on VS are however very critical about Pinarayi and Kodiyeri who are blamed for not learning from the party’s experiences in Bengal. This shows how keen they are about what is happening in Kerala.
(A documentary director, the author has been settled in Bengal for a long time)
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