WEST Bengal is witnessing a theatre of the absurd with the game of turncoats. TMC and BJP are exchanging leaders among themselves, desertions have become a monotonous affair. Recently, much hullabaloo has taken place over senior minister ShuvanduAdhikary’s party hopping. Adhikary joined BJP in presence of union home minister, Amit Shah along with other TMC MLAs, MP, and leaders of different regions. In a public meeting in Medinipur, Adhikary accused the chief minister’s nephew as an ‘extortionist’, an allegation which is widely prevalent in the state. He also exposed the fact that he, along with many other TMC leaders have maintained contact with top BJP leaders since 2014. The year is important as Sharada chit fund scam enquiry by CBI started during that period. Adhikary, as well as Mukul Roy, now BJP national vice president, were accused in the scam. They were also accused in Narada sting operation where they were seen as recipients of illegal bribe. On the one hand, BJP is accusing TMC as a corrupt party and on the other hand, these very corrupt elements are being welcomed in the party. A lesser-known MLA, Biswajit Kundu from Kalna also joined BJP on the same stage. He was accused in TET recruitment scam in which eight members of his family were selected as teachers when lakhs of examinees were protesting against corrupt practices. BJP has almost roped in Asansol Municipal Corporation chief, Jitendra Tewari, known as a muscleman leader of coal areas. But a last-minute objection by Asansol MP and union minister, Babul Supriyo stopped his entry. Another well-known coal mafia, Raju, quickly took his place and was garlanded into BJP.

At the ground level too, TMC leaders, despised by the people are being regularly inducted into BJP. The leaders, loaded with allegations of corruption, terror, loot of public money have now become stars in BJP. Many commentators have termed this as “Trinamoolisation” of BJP.  

BJP has thrown all its gauntlet in West Bengal with an eye to next year’s assembly election. Amit Shah has visited the state and held public meetings and roadshows, exhibiting photo-ops with eating in farmers’ and singer’s house. BJP has already declared that they would depute union ministers and state ministers of UP, MP in specific constituencies in Bengal. Special observers have been sent. Appointing BJP IT cell chief, Amit Malavya as one of them is enough indication that Tsunami of fake news and perverted campaign will be unleashed.

Though BJP is using the deep discontent among the people against TMC regime, their main plank will be Hindutva as usual. Hate campaign against the minorities and polarisation of votes in the line of religious identity will be their main strategy. Bengal has a tragic past of communal division and carnage during the partition. The Left, progressive, democratic movements have overturned that for more than half a century. One of the main campaign elements of BJP is to revive that history with a Hindutva narrative. Already they have let loose a campaign on that line, particularly through social media. BJP is also using doublespeak on CAA and NRC. While championing these two subjects, Amit Shah has told that no rules have been set till now and would only be effective after the corona epidemic recede. In tune with BJP’s strategy- a set of new national channels, popularly known as “godi media” are set to start their Bengali versions. 

TMC GASPING
TMC and the government are gasping. Ten years of misrule has alienated TMC from large sections of people. This has now come out on the streets. In TMC rule, almost every election from the panchayat, municipalities to assembly was rigged. In local level elections, opposition candidates were not even allowed to file their nominations. Wherever they could, polling stations were captured by TMC hoodlums. The democratic aspirations of the people were demolished day after day. TMC leaders have become rulers of the area. Corruption by the ruling party leaders has increased exponentially. A large section of the ruling party leaders has amassed huge fortunes. The expenditure of the government has been cut into by these leaders and no project is allowed till they were ‘fed’ well. The ruling party leaders are so deep-driven into ‘cut money’ business that they looted money from relief in Amphan cyclone too. Compensation announced for the people has been grabbed by them. The teacher appointment scam has been exposed even in the courts. The courts have observed that malpractices have taken place in big way. TMC leaders have collected money in exchange for future recruitment. 

TMC, as a party is led not by the political leaders but by strongmen and dreaded criminals in most parts of the state. The disintegration of the party along with a desperate explosion of anger of the people have now clearly put them in back foot.

The state of the economy has reached the brink. TMC government has failed to establish new industries in the last one decade, leading to widespread unemployment. The pandemic has exposed the extent of migration from the state. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to go to other states in search of a job, in what is called ‘distress migration’. In rural areas, the development of agriculture has halted, farmers are not getting a due price for their produce and projects like “MNREGA’’ are riddled with large scale corruption.

TMC is a party which has been promoted from the very beginning by BJP. It was with the help of BJP that TMC was formed and grown in the early years. They have gone into an electoral alliance for at least three times. Mamata Banerjee herself was a minister in BJP-led NDA ministry. BJP put up all efforts in her ‘struggle’ against the Communists. Even in recent years, despite outbursts in public, TMC had a tacit understanding with BJP. It has been proved time and again when corruption enquiry against TMC leaders was either stalled or slowed down by the central government. And in exchange, TMC has rescued BJP government in parliament, supporting or abstaining from crucial bills. TMC played the dangerous tactics of political polarisation with religious overtones. Both BJP and TMC have tried to construct a binary between them.

EMERGING ALTERNATIVE
The most important political phenomenon in this period is the breaking up of this binary and emergence of alternative. Left Parties, along with allied parties and secular forces are steadily gaining ground and expanded their work manifold. For the Left, huge mobilisations are taking place in the districts. For the first time in several years, TMC has been forced to retreat from opposing actively two strikes- general strike of November 26 and hartal call by kisanson  December 8. Both these strikes received spectacular support from the people. Rallies and processions in support of the struggling farmers swept through the state. One of the biggest rallies in recent times took place in Kolkata on December 16 at the call of AIKSCC. Large mobilisations took place in areas, terrorised for a decade. Party offices, forcibly closed down or captured by TMC are being opened with support from local people. CPI(M) has been able to organise rallies and public meetings in Nandigram ,Khejuri, places of Jangal Mahal where even a single red flag was not allowed for years. Left mass organisations are reaching to people with a warm response in villages and towns. The role of Left parties and mass organisations at the time of acute distress of people during pandemic has also endeared them to poorer sections. Left organisations have conducted kitchens for the poor and the working class for months now. Joint programme with Congress and other secular forces have drawn people into action.

CPI(M) leaders, including Party’s general secretary, Sitaram Yechury and state secretary, Surya Misra have clearly spelt out the political stand of the Left. The Left consider BJP as the most dangerous political enemy throughout the country, including West Bengal. To defeat BJP in West Bengal it is urgent to defeat TMC squarely. To show any purported ‘softness’ towards West Bengal’s ruling party will defeat the very purpose of resisting BJP. Maximum possible pooling of anti-TMC anti- BJP votes is the need of the hour. Largest possible mobilisation towards that goal with clear alternative policies will change the course of the stream in the state.

Theatre of the absurd will be replaced by an intense political-ideological struggle in the days to come.