The way Congress has grabbed the post of Mayor in Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) ignoring the claim of alliance partner Trinamool Congress (TMC) and at the same time seeking help of CPI (M), has created commotion in both the parties. While Smt Mamata Banerjee, TMC leader and Railway Minister, termed this as ‘betrayal’, the Congress MP Shri Adhir Chowdhury from Murshidabad who is known as the ‘strongman’ of Congress in North Bengal has said that the Congress has adopted the most unethical way to elect its own candidate Smt Gangotri Dutta as Mayor of Siliguri Municipal Corporation which cannot be supported. Shri Debaprasad Roy, one of the vice presidents of the Pradesh Congress Committee and member of the four-member core committee formed by the president of PCC Shri Pranab Mukherjee to sort out the tangle of Siliguri Mayoral candidate, has resigned saying he did not approve the policy of going hand in hand with CPI (M) in this matter.
The Congress high command, on the other hand, has pleaded their ignorance about any such understanding with the CPI (M). Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Finance Minister has said that “this decision of taking support of CPI (M) for the Mayoral election in SMC has been taken on local level”. But Shri Subrata Mukherjee, Working President, Pradesh Congress Committee, has said that why TMC should be so much perturbed with this kind of development? He recalled that the Trinamool, with the Left help, had moved a no confidence motion against the Congress-led board in Kaligunj Municipality in Nadia district.
The Trinamool supporters along with a section of Congress supporters had vandalised the stage put up for the reception of newly elected Councilors. Hence reception programme could not take place. In this regard, Smt Mamata has reminded the Congress that at the Centre, UPA government has been running with the help of TMC. But she had clarified that this should not be considered as a ‘threat’ for the UPA government as they would take a decision on this matter only after discussion in the party level.
After 28 long years, CPI (M) was dislodged from the power of SMC. It was possible because of strong ‘Trinamool or for that matter Mamata wave’ covering the length and breadth of the State. In fact CPI (M)-led Left Front has been losing ground in all the elections held after the Parliamentary elections. In 47-seat Siliguri Municipal Corporation elections the Left Front was routed with only 17 seats. Congress-TMC alliance got 30 seats. (Cong. 15, TMC 14 plus 1 supported by TMC). In the Mayoral election TMC candidate got 15 votes. But Congress candidate got 32 votes which meant all 17 Left Front votes were polled in favour of the Congress candidate. The local CPI (M) leader and State Urban Development Minister Ashok Bhattacharya said that they had extended their support to the Congress candidate only after getting ‘written letter of request’ from the Congress. But the TMC has alleged that there was foul play and monetary transaction took place. It is alleged that this was only the tip of a greater conspiracy hatched against Trinamool as a party and against Smt Mamata Banerjee as leader of that party.
Although the Congress high command has been very careful in passing any comment on latest development regarding the alliance with TMC, it is obvious, by their move, that they want to keep certain options open for future action. It remains a fact that to continue the alliance with Mamata is very difficult for any party. The BJP or NDA for that matter had tasted this experience during their time. Now, the Congress is facing the music.
During the Assembly by-elections last month for two Kolkata seats (Bowbazar and Sealdah) Mamata insisted that both seats to be given to TMC. But in the last elections both seats were held by Congress. According to alliance rules it was scheduled to go to the Congress. But it did not. Congress succumbed to the pressure of Mamata. PCC Working President Subrata Mutherjee said, “The Congress had sacrificed enough for the alliance. During the parliamentary polls, no Congress flag was up within 500 km of Kolkata. Now they want us to go to the gallows for the alliance!”
The fact remains that, in West Bengal, Muslims have deserted both the Congress and the Left parties. They have showered their support to the Trinamool in the last parliamentary polls. The voting pattern in the State is such that more than 35 per cent Assembly seats are controlled by Muslim votes. The day Muslims had stopped supporting Congress, they were voted out from power. Again when Muslims had withdrawn their support from the CPI (M) or the Left Front, they had started loosing ground. Starting from last parliamentary polls Left parties are getting the taste of defeat in almost all elections after that. Hence all are expecting that in the forthcoming by-elections for ten Assembly seats and then in the general elections for Assembly in 2011, the Left Front or for that matter the CPI(M) will be routed, provided the present Congress-TMC alliance continues till that time. Keeping that situation in view, may be the Congress high command has taken this step (i.e. the Mayoral election of Siliguri) to keep Smt Mamata Banerjee under pressure. But a group of political observers have noticed that the results of any election in West Bengal are now dependable on the sweet will of Muslims. For this Mamata is so much satisfied (as Muslim votes are polled in their favour) and obliged to the Muslim leadership that she is going out of the way to help them and in many cases she is going against the interest of majority community.
This message has already spread throughout the State like bonfire among the Muslims. They are already out in the open to assert their position and are threatening peace and security of other communities. Places of worships are frequently attacked. In remote villages young girls, belonging to other than Muslim community, are pushed back to their houses because a gory situation of insecurity is prevailing in those areas. The logical consequences, which have been noticed here, are all the more peculiar. Particularly Hindus of all castes and political colours are getting united for the simple reason of survival. In different areas in the State, these people have started joining the RSS ‘shakhas’ and are even calling on the BJP leaders to ensure their security. On the other hand, the Left parties including the CPI (M) are planning to play with the Hindu sentiment. One should not be surprised if, in course of time, they would transform into a political party with Hindu identity. Although for the time being both the Trinamool and the CPI (M) are in open competition as to who can appease the Muslims most to win over their valuable votes. So long Trinamool was successful in this matter. But the Congress and other parties perception is that this honeymoon with the Muslims will not last long. With the moorings of Mayoral election in Siliguri Municipal Corporation it is obvious that the alliance may take a new shape. Let us see what course it takes in future.
(The writer can be contacted at 13/B, SN Chatterjee Road, Kolkata)
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