Indra’s Drishtikona (Viewpoint)

Will Mamta’s Dream Get Realized?

Posted : June 7, 2010 at 9:23 am [IST]

I still fail to understand why most of the Bengali journalists and reporters are so excited about Mamta’s electoral success in West Bengal.

First of all, the wins in municipalities and corporations don’t guarantee the similar win when the whole of Bengal comprising rural and urban areas goes for general election. Leftists claim better hold in rural areas that has majority of seats.

I still opine that Mamta’s slogan Maa, Mati, Manush may be nice sounding but has nothing unique unless the farmers get the best price, the good education becomes universal, the sufficient and nutritious food and health care are ensured drastically reducing the early child mortality, and every youth is trained in at least some skill to be employable. One can sweep an election with emotionally exploiting the locals, but can’t win the hearts of the mass of miserable lots without a clear mission and implementation strategies based on past experiences of failures of not happenings

I wish Mamta and the experts and intellectuals seeking her entry into her inner circle come out with the vision openly. Sometimes, the change may even be worse.

However, I was stunned with a news item that says Mamta ‘promises to give Calcutta an expert each for each Trinamul councillor. And there are 95 of them.’ Will she do the same for each of his MLAs or MPs? I don’t find any of her ministers in central cabinet (including Mamta herself) performing visibly well. Perhaps they all including the didi is too busy with the home state.

Some say, ‘didigiri rules’. But will it be sufficient enough for satisfying the expectations of the people of the state who have been left behind over decades.

It is a fact that a large number of middle class voters have lost its love for the leftists. I do also wonder that many reporters today talk so openly about the corruption in ruling party and of its cadre members in positions of power and its ministers. Will the millions of cadre members give up the authority enjoyed so easily? Will they not try to regain the lost ground with the people who matters at all cost? As many think, the leftists have mastered the art and technologies of winning election. It will be difficult to defeat the leftists so easily.

And even if Mamta wins, her win must come with overwhelming majority, otherwise the leftists will make her life as well as that of the people of Bengal miserable.

Is, as a columnist has written, ‘West Bengal is preparing for an upheaval’?

- Indra

Category: Indian politics |