New Delhi: In recent memory, few state assembly elections would have been so impactful on the national political scene as the recently concluded West Bengal polls. Still few would have realised the implications as much as the politically astute and fiery street fighter from West Bengal—Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee.
It was her letter dated March 28, 2021, that added grist to the rumour mills. That she was seeking a leading role among the non-BJP forces that may take shape after the state polls. But that was subject to the condition that TMC retains power.
Among others, the missive was addressed to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, DMK leaders, Samajwadi Party, RJD, Shiv Sena, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Aam Aadmi Party, BJD, YSR Congress, CPI (ML), National Conference and the PDP.
And now with her party bagging more than 72 percent or 213 of the total 294 seats in the state assembly, the Bengal Tigress has more than reinforced her position in the opposition ranks in the polls where the BJP gave its all.
As if to underline her position, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath said in Bhopal on Wednesday: “Mamata Banerjee is the leader of our country today. She has become the chief minister of West Bengal for the third time in a row. She has reached this stage after a tough fight in the unprecedented assembly election.”
To her credit, Mamata halted the BJP in its tracks on it's very vital quest for an eastward expansion largely in West Bengal and Odisha.
BJP’s Eastward Ho
The farmer agitation over the three controversial farm laws has considerably dented the BJP support base in north India but in a more pronounced manner in Punjab, Haryana, western UP and northern Rajasthan.
In the just-concluded UP panchayat elections, the BJP has fared badly after being seconded by the Samajwadi Party and the RLD. The local body elections have assumed huge significance as UP state polls are slated for 2022.
The loss of ground in the region has to be compensated by wins in other places. That is where the political importance of West Bengal and Odisha come in as BJP’s southward foray has also been blunted to a large extent in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Together West Bengal and Odisha have 63 parliamentary seats.
In effect, a repeat of the overwhelming 303 seats in the 2019 parliamentary polls may turn out to be a difficult proposition for the BJP. And Mamata’s win would contribute to ensuring that.
That is why Mamata can be seen playing a crucial role in the 2024 parliamentary polls.
But, Mamata suffers from unique handicaps too. Many of the parties she wrote the letter to may not agree to be part of an anti-BJP anti-NDA front when many of these parties have irreconcilable conflicts among themselves. For example, Aam Aadmi Party versus the Congress. The issue of Mamata’s acceptability as the prime leader also remains in the cow belt.
But without doubt, the West Bengal state elections have catapulted the Bengal Tigress into a position from where she can script a new political narrative for India.
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