Mass organisations facing desertions
By Ashis Biswas
For the CPI(M) in West Bengal, rediscovering its lost credibility is proving to be its biggest problem. Post 2011 State Assembly Elections, there has been a spate of self-critical articles in the party mouthpiece, spelling out the reasons for its poll debacle which saw its number of seats come down from 176 in 2006 to 40 in 2011. Leaders have done enough breast-beating in print and in candid interviews given to the electronic media.
But there seems to be no softening of the anti-left public mood at any level. Rallies and meetings called by the left parties on issues of public importance continue to be moderately attended, mostly by old timers. Let alone winning new support, the party seems unable to carry its own organisations by its programmes. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) as expected is enjoying its “honeymoon” phase among the people. Observers feel this could continue maybe for a year, maybe longer. No one, not even the staunchest left supporter, is talking about the possibility of an opposition revival. The CPI(M) and indeed the entire left movement seems to be in the grip of an aimless drift.
To begin with the leadership : ex Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s image is at an all time low, although he is by no means solely responsible for the poll drubbing. His reclusive reluctance to face the people is not helping his cause. Both party insiders and common people look upon him as a poor loser who cannot face defeat! The contrast with the feisty Mamata Banerjee, who suffered repeated reverses over two decades before she achieved the impossible by defeating the Marxists, could not be sharper.
For the state party Secretary and Left front Chairman Biman Bose, the outlook remains grim. Often in controversy for his occasionally ill-timed remarks, his stature has been drastically reduced with his pronouncement a day before the counting began, to the effect that he was looking forward to the CPI(M) winning at least 199 seats, if not more !
Even the fighting Gautam Deb, who sought to counter the aggression of the TMC campaign by counter aggression, now sounds more subdued, a loser like Bhattacharjee.
The only person who emerged relatively unscathed from the poll disaster is the dissident ex Minister Abdur Rezzak Mollah. He sounds as defiant as ever against his leaders and their tactics in recent years. But then Mollah has never been any kind rising icon who could show his party a path out of critical dead-ends.
There are suggestions for Bose to step down, while Bhattacharjee himself wanted to quit the politburo and the central committee. The CPI(M) leadership has not allowed this. Men like Madan Ghosh and Mohammad Salim both central committee members, are in the running for Bose’s post as the state Secretary. Other contender like Nirupam Sen is not physically fit, while Mohammad Amin is perceived to be too old.
Ghosh recently wrote a self critical article in the parry daily briefly outlining the reasons for its crushing defeat. The problem is, beyond observing that the party had failed organisationally, ideologically and administratively in governance, he did not say much. Again, local and zonal committee members, who received a 21-point questionnaire from Bose to explain the reasons for the party’s failures in most districts some time ago, have not come up with startling new insights either.
The leadership is naturally divided over the question of present tactics. While some think a grace period should be allowed for people to become disillusioned with the TMC’s rule, others think a more active left role is in order especially with so many scandals rocking the UPA Ministry. A compromise, local level agitations and bandhs, has been agreed upon. So far they have not attracted much public support.
The problem before the left leaders is they have failed in the past both in their pro-active and reactive phases. Their passivity during the anti-Tata agitation at Singur lost them many votes. Also, their frenetic “regroup and hit back” strategy just before the polls, proved equally ineffectual. The same public apathy to left programmes has been noticed in their recent programmes.
The other major rallying slogan, the internal Rectification campaign, has proved a damp squib. Usually only a handful of small fry used to be punished in a token manner, while major culprits in corruption, including Ministers, MLAs and MPs, went scot free. The same tradition continues and no big name has been punished, not for want of evidence against them. The state leadership is too scared to act simply because in the ensuing free-for-all that would result, too many skeletons may tumble out of the cupboard. Former Minister Subhas Chakravarty had openly hinted of this happening whenever there was any talk of disciplining him.
It is believed Mr. Mollah may be enjoying a similar protection at present. The last thing the CPI(M) now wants is a public disclosure of the corruption of its cadres that has been tolerated by its leaders . If big heads roll, the possibility of local level splits cannot be ruled out, which can only further confuse and weaken the party.
There have been several instances of student activists switching sides and going over to the TMC,. Among workers, large numbers of Transport and auto workers as well as daily wage earners like rickshaw pullers, have done the same.
In districts, many local committee offices have remained virtually closed, especially in some areas of Midnapore and Hooghly, where aggressive TMC supporters have attacked their opponents. Elsewhere in south and north 24 Parganas, they remain open for short periods, with mostly old timers attending. However, elected leaders like Suryakanta Mishra and others have been visiting troubled areas to maintain cadre morale and pressure the government. They allege that post polls, at least 26 left supporters and cadres have been killed in clashes, while the Government has indicated only 16 killings, at par with the recorded deaths of non-Left supporters.
All considered, it is clear that the coming two-day State Committee session of the CPI(M) will be a stormy one. (IPA Service)