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ecurring incidents of vio- reportedly by the TMC workers in Janu- subsequently proved a morale booster
lence either on the pretext ary this year, the BJP workers thrashed for the party. Uncertain of its ‘clean
of elections or religion that the TMC workers in retaliation, smashed sweep’ in the Hindi heartland, the BJP has
have made the state of West their vehicles and burnt their party office. high stakes in West Bengal in the 2019
R Bengal as a witness to severe According to media reports, a local BJP general election.
political turbulence, especially in recent leader had exhorted the party workers:
months, reminds us of the famous Hin- “Stand up and protest, Trinamool Con- Different Politics
di adage, which translates to earth has gress will run away in fear.” The state of affairs pervading West Ben-
erupted because of sin, immorality has The state of West Bengal, with 42 Lok gal politics is different from that of UP,
made the sky to explode and treachery Sabha seats, holds significance for any Bihar, Maharashtra, Kerala or Tamil
has made humanity to tremble and the political party scrambling to form gov- Nadu, where ruling parties or coalitions
demons are having a field day. ernment at the Centre. In the outgoing change frequently and Lok Sabha for-
In its mad race for deepening its Lok Sabha, the TMC had 34 MPs, Con- tunes vary dramatically. It is said that
roots on the political soil of West Bengal, gress had four MPs, and the BJP and the West Bengal doesn’t have caste-based
the BJP is adhering to all means avail- CPI (M) had two each. politics and that is why there could not
able at its disposal, including the Central Having been out of the electoral pale develop caste-based parties like Rashtri-
government machinery to dislodge the prior to 2014, the BJP became politi- ya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar, Samajwadi
democratically elected and popular cally more ambitious after having won Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
government of the Trinamool Congress two seats in 2014 general election with in UP. According to some experts, in West
(TMC) led by chief minister Mamata improved voting percentage and its good Bengal there are at least eight broad
Banerjee. performance in the local panchayat polls caste groups, with at least 13 strains of

Kolkata is likely to be kingmaker

In an attempt to deepen its roots on the political soil of West Bengal, the BJP is adhering to all means
available at its disposal, including the Central government machinery to dislodge the democratically
elected and popular government of TMC, reports anil singh

Undoubtedly, eruption of tension Eruption of tension and Brahmins and four varieties of Baidyas
and sometimes violence on account of at the top and around 13 different kinds
political differences between the political sometimes violence on of Dalit at the bottom.
rival parties ahead of elections is a gen- account of The Barga movement started in the
eral phenomenon. Nevertheless, it has early 1970s in West Bengal under the
taken the ugliest form in West Bengal political differences Congress rule was designed to allot land
this time, especially on the eve of general between the political to small and marginal farmers. Each
election. block had an advisory committee, which
There have been exchange of allega- rival parties ahead included, among others the block devel-
tions and counter allegations between of elections is a opment officer and a local party repre-
the TMC and the BJP over issues pertain- sentative and this committee was said
ing to corruption, use of Central and state general phenomenon. to have reach to every household in very
agencies and conflicting claims over the village and mohalla.
success of social welfare schemes by the Nevertheless, it has Subsequently, under the Left rule in
state and Central governments. taken the ugliest form West Bengal caste remained relegated
Both the BJP and the TMC are said to to the background and only class was
have been accusing each other of killings, in West Bengal this defined by economics. The Left cadre
beatings, vandalism and making false time, especially on the held a sway on each village committee.
allegations to the police. In the wake of Under the Left rule, these village com-
disruption of a public meeting of the BJP eve of general election mittee began to play significant role

Tehelka / 31 may 2019 26 www.Tehelka.com