Page 25 - English Tehelka Issue 6 - March 31, 2018

However, Prime Minister Naren- Militant suggestions to mobilize the youth
dra Modi will certainly take this vic- of the new era. However, it does not Regaining Paradise Lost
tory as an endorsement to his style nationalists who seem to have worked. The party is
of campaigning — high-pitched were effectively facing continued erosion in its base.
rhetoric mixed with low level attacks The party also corrected its mistake
on opponents. His aggressive cam- marginalized of antagonizing the rural masses
paign is supplemented by the politi- by the CPI(M) of West Bengal during Singur and The Left’s defeat in Tripura was more a success of the BJP’s thunderous campaigning and
cally correct and manufactured so- Nandigram controversies. This also the ruling government’s failure to make people realise its achievements during the
cial equations of his colleague Amit government does not seem to have yielded any quarter-century of its rule. The ground is now fertile for the Left to change its stubborn
Shah, who uses all kinds of social have revived positive results.
cleavages to win an election. The prime question before the style of functioning and make a comeback, vivashwan singh opines
One of the important lessons of themselves by Left is of mobilizing the new era
the Tripura poll results is that the youth that is in the grip of consum-
narrative of “Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas” their alliance with erism. However, the immediate he elections in Tripura anti-humanitarian weapons to gain preaching of nationalism. But it is
still attracts people. The Opposition the BJP political need demands pragmatic seemed more of an ideo- victory. The Left’s campaigning was also true that the BJP had infiltrated
is yet to put forth a counter narra- politics of making alliances with logical fight between the not modernised in a way it should into the CPI(M) voter base to a very
tive. Despite the fact that Tripura anti-BJP parties including Congress. Right and the Left than have been. The Left front ran a door great extent. The contest between
has done extremely well on Hu - ing growth with employment at the Tripura polls have revealed that the T an electoral one. The to door old-school campaign. Even the candidates was too close. In sev-
man Development Indices, Modi’s national level. But it failed to do so. Left has to position itself as an alter- CPI(M) had certainly gone astray the rigorous social media of CPI(M) eral constituencies like Matarbari,
development narrative worked well. native to both the Congress and the in this fight. In the era when BJP is campaign started quite late as com- BJP gained votes because CPI(M),
The state has the highest literacy in Decline of the Left? BJP. It is clear that Congress’ near ab- blatantly expanding its Hindutva pared to BJP. The ‘CPI(M) model of CPI(ML) and SUCI(C) were contest-
the country (96 per cent), low child The ouster of CPI(M) from the gov- sence from the poll scene in Tripura ideology, the CPI(M) is enthralled in governance’ wasn’t sold well even ing against each bother instead of
mortality rate ( 20 per thousand live ernment in Tripura naturally engen- helped BJP in winning it. Any strat- discussing whether Prime Minis- though the party ruled Tripura for 25 consolidating anti-BJP votes. Had
births), life expectancy of 71 years for ders the question whether the Left is egy for the 2019 general election ter Narendra Modi’s rule conforms years. The Left clearly had no coun- there been a Left+Congress alli -
men and 73 for women against the in decline. People have been asking should keep it in mind. to authoritarianism or fascism, or ter to the vicious communal and sec- ance, it would not have guaranteed
64 and 66 in Gujarat. The state has this question ever since the Left lost The Left also needs to shun its whether the CPI(M) should have a tarian campaign of the BJP. victory for Sarkar but it could have
gender ratio of 961 against 918 in its bastion in Bengal. The CPI(M) had bureaucratic style of functioning. tactical alliance with the Congress. The honest and austere image of brought the constituencies of Amar-
Gujarat. The state has been pioneer constituted a committee with top The party seemed to have left Manik The results have proven that it was CM Manik Sarkar certainly helped pur, Bamutia, Belonia, Karbook, Pen-
in implementing Mahatma Gandhi level intellectuals on it to look into Sarkar to fight the battle on his own. not enough to project that the peo- extending CPI(M) rule in Tripura but charthal, Nalchar, Panisagar in Left’s
National Rural Guarantee Scheme the changes in the social structure His simple lifestyle and impeccable ple of Tripura would reject commu- all it took to fail that was the BJP’s kitty, increasing its tally to around
(MGNRGS) and has been able to of the country after the introduction credentials as an honest chief min- nal politics. It has been four years more powerful appeal — “The PM is 22 seats. The CPI(M) was expected to
implement all the central govern- of liberal economy. The committee ister were not highlighted properly. since the BJP government came in much bigger than the CM and he will drive the BJP, electorally as well as
ment schemes most effectively. had given a report as well and the The Tripura Model of Development at the Centre, but various sections care for you too if you vote his party.” ideologically, out of Tripura by forg-
The crime rate in the state is low. party had decided to implement its also did not become the poll plank, of society are still enamoured by PM BJP won the election by aligning ing an umbrella of alliances with
Why was it that the which only exposes the Modi despite his myriad failures. The with an outfit which operates from social movements, anti-BJP parties
CPI(M) could not counter bureaucratic nature of party has continued to grow elec- Bangladesh, a terrorist organisation and organisations but this didn’t
the development nar- functioning in the party. torally as well as ideologically. The which surely do not go with the RSS happen. Instead, the present and for-
rative of Modi? The em- This is why the party party went about building individual mer general secretaries of the party
ployment for educated mainly relied on ideo- party wings for the youth, women, were busy debating a tactical line.
youth was the only front logical rhetoric that are SC, ST, OBC, minorities and farmers. Manik Sarkar The defeat of Left in Tripura was
where the state proved best suited for academic Vistaraks were appointed to ensure had nurtured neither a question of Caste and Com-
to be a failure. This might debates. By now, Sarkar there was no infighting and any dis- munal polarisation nor the same
have given Modi an op- should have become a sidence did not brew to the surface. the insurgency- 2014 anti-incumbency situation that
portunity to sell his nar- national icon for con- ‘Panna pramukhs’ were given one affected state toppled the Congress. The Left front
rative of development. verting a troubled state page each out of a 17-18 page voter ruled Tripura for more than 25 years,
The CPI(M) could have into a best managed list. Each page has a list of 60 voters. to normalcy and which is possibly more than the total
easily countered the province. The CPI(M) The ‘panna pramukh’ was supervising cumulative tenure of any BJP regime
narrative by exposing should be made guilty of the needs of each of the 60 voters. economic stability that has existed at the Centre+States
the failure of the Modi not trying to project him Apart from a social media team of but after that in Indian history. The honest chief
government in provid- at national level. At times, young people fluent in English, Ben- minister Manik Sarkar did not suc-
the party should allow gali and Kokborok, some 400 vista- could not catch ceed in keeping up with the towering
personalities to acquire raks were brought in from Assam in up well on the ambitions of the same people who
• Power play Manik Sarkar larger than life status. the final leg of the campaign. Apart were brought up through his social
slams money power and media from this, the BJP carried an arsenal economic front welfare. The Tripuri populace got
onslaught for CPM debacle letters@tehelka.com containing all sorts of uncivil and education, ration, healthcare, and

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