TEA belt in northern Bengal has suffered unbearable pains for the last three years. Tea gardens have been closed without any effort from the state administration to reopen them. Starvation deaths have become regular phenomena in those gardens. Large numbers of tea workers are suffering from acute diseases with health facilities declining. Moreover, the owners are having a field day as the state administration has reversed its position and has now sided with them. In Dheklapara and Red Bank tea estates in Jalpaiguri, more than 40 workers succumbed to extreme malnutrition. In Dolmore tea estate, an incident of rage and unfortunate death has revealed the extent of torture the authorities have resorted to in the recent period. The land of Two Leaves and a Bud has also suffered because divisive forces have been partially successful in destroying the unity of the workers. These forces reaped the seeds of disunity along the line of identity politics to weaken the Left trade union movement. The Nepalis, Adivasis and other sections of workers were pitted one against another by different groups. Now, it is the workers’ turn to turn the tide. In the run up to the parliamentary elections, the tea gardens in Japaiguri and Darjeeling districts are witnessing workers’ resistance to these divisive forces and their mentors. Once again, red flags are flying high in the gardens and hundreds of workers are attending the campaign programme of the Left candidates. Small meetings in gardens are gradually turning into bigger mobilisations with a clear sign of spontaneity. Every day, processions and rallies are taking place in the gardens and vicinity in Doors and Terai. In at least three seats of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, tea workers are important components. Left Front candidates are emphasising on the need of unity and to rely on the struggle to achieve workers’ dues. In Darjeeling, the political realignment took an interesting turn when Gorkha Janamukti Morcha decided to support BJP candidate, after TMC fielded former footballer Baichung Bhutia. TMC- GJM romance ended on a bitter note. In the hills, though GJM is a considerable force, they no longer maintain the absolute influence any more. CPI(M) , while opposing a separate state, has proposed a constitutionally mandated local self government with enhanced power and stronger defence of culture and identity of the people in the hills. The alternative proposal of the CPI(M) has evoked noteworthy response from the people. CPI(M) candidate in Darjeeling, Saman Pathak has already reached to the hill people with this concrete proposal. In the plains, youths have mobilised in great numbers in his support. Keen contest is in the offing in entire northern Bengal. In Raiganj, CPI(M) is already way ahead in reaching to the people. The failures of sitting Congress MP and a union minister Deepa Dashmunshi are stark enough to give an impetus to Left’s campaign which has been energised by the CPI(M) candidate and Party Central Committee member Md Salim’s thrust. CPI(M) has decided to hold face-to-face meetings in each and every booth area of the constituency and a large portion has already been covered. The Congress and the TMC have engaged themselves in bitter exchanges of family rivalry. In Balurghat, TMC has fielded a theatre personality, known more for her personal closeness to the chief minister, resulting in intra-party squabbles, which has also seen clashes. Left Front activists have to encounter terrorisation in considerable part of the district. In Maldaha North, CPI(M) has fielded Khagen Murmu, a popular tribal MLA. The so-called bastion of the Congress is actually crumbling there as they are facing desertion to TMC also. Four cornered fight in this seat has opened up new possibilities for the Left Front. In Maldaha South, the non-performance of both the state and central governments, particularly to check the Ganga erosion and implementation of rural development projects, has given rise to discontent among the people. Left Front leaders are confident of increasing strength from the north. TERROR TACTICS AGAINST ELECTION OFFICIALS STAR and celebrities on the one hand, hoodlums on the other, that seems to be the tactics of the ruling party in West Bengal. Trinamul Congress has fielded film stars, singers, players in a number of seats. They are being used as a shield to distract uncomfortable questions that may arise against the 34 months of the TMC rule. But that alone cannot rescue the ruling party from deep discontent among the people. The most ‘dependable’ weapon for them is the hooligans who have already been let loose. Apart from sporadic attacks on Left activists, TMC leaders and activists have organised serious attacks on the election administration of the state. In a gruesome incident, BDO of Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas was manhandled in his office. Local MLA of TMC threatened to kill him by chopping off his head. This attack was in response to local administration’s attempt to clear public buildings from flex and banners of the ruling party and the chief minister. They are duty bound to do this by the model code of conduct. This irritated the TMC leaders and they stormed into BDO’s office and vandalised it, beating the officer and his staff. The BDO lodged a complaint to police but the criminals were set free in bail as police refused to act. The sordid story went further when the BDO was forced to change the version of his complaint and dilute the allegations against the MLA. State Minister Jyotipriyo Mullick, hailing from the same district, openly defended the MLA and TMC activists. Even the chief minister castigated the officer, virtually provoking more such attacks. As a result, the election commission staff were beaten up in Howrah within few hours. They were attacked by the TMC goons when they started removing political banners on government properties in Howrah. The EC team's video recording cassette was also snatched by the hooligans. The goons also threatened to kill them. Police had to rescue the EC officials. On the basis of their complaint, Howrah SDO has filed an FIR against "unknown Trinamul activists". The local TMC leaders including some ministers have legitimised the behavior of the TMC cadres. The personal assistant of the sitting TMC MP and the candidate of Howrah constituency was present on the spot along with the councilors and other prominent local leaders of the TMC. These incidents, widely perceived as terrorising election commission, have resulted in anguish among the officers. In a meeting called to discuss poll related issues in North 24 Parganas, the civil service officers expressed their discontent and demanded adequate security for them. They even asked the district magistrate that when state officers are terrorised in this manner, what is the guarantee of security for the common people. Meanwhile, a Left Front delegation met the Election Commission in New Delhi and apprised them of the situation in the state. Box item: In yet another instance pointing out to the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal and the increasing crimes against women, a tribal woman was molested and tortured in full public view, for an entire day in Dantan -1 block of West Medinipur district on March 22, 2014. Unable to withstand the tremendous political pressure and threats from the ruling TMC from bringing the incident to light, the mother of the victim committed suicide on April 2, 2014. The young tribal lady was brutally beaten and tied to a tree the whole night by TMC hoodlums. She was tonsured. In the morning, she was stripped off her clothes, tied to a rope and paraded around the village. This “punishment” meted to her was decided by the TMC-led panchayat.  This incident which has come to light even while the shocking incident of Lavpur in Bhirbhum district is still fresh in memory, is another example of the increasing number of ‘khap panchayat’ diktats after the TMC assumed power in the state. Under the ‘poriborton’ dispensation more than 1100 incidents of physical assaults on women have been recorded in West Bengal since May 14, 2011. However, this does not include the numerous such incidents that have not been recorded due to tremendous political and social pressure and threats from the ruling party. The trauma was too much for the young woman to take and she has become mentally disturbed. Unable to bear the humiliation and subsequent pressure from the TMC goons to keep the incident under wraps, the mother succumbed and committed suicide.