Kolkata: Only a reformed Left Front is the alternative to Left Front — a vision tabled by the former West Bengal chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee — became the talking point for the Left Parties in West Bengal before the 2006 Bengal assembly elections. A somewhat similar slogan was chanted by the chief minister, Mamata Banerjee on Thursday as she said that only a reformed Trinamool Congress is the alternative to Trinamool Congress.
Addressing a special meeting on scheduled casts and scheduled tribes organized by the party at Geetanjali Stadium on Thursday afternoon, the chief minister said that only a reformed Trinamool Congress is the alternative to Trinamool Congress. “Trinamool will forward to be a more reformed Trinamool. Trinamool will move towards development,” the chief minister said.
Political analysts feel that such a comment from the chief minister is extremely crucial especially at a time when BJP is trying its best to project itself as Trinamool’s alternative. In fact, the slogan — “Only a reformed Left Front is the alternative to Left Front”, is perceived to have played a key role ensuring Left Front massive victory in 2006. So it seems that the chief minister coined a similar slogan to boost the morale of the party workers, feel analysts.
But the same slogan that “a reformed Left Front is the alternative to Left Front” could not ensure Left Front victory in 2011. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee himself got defeated. The growing public grievances against Left Front was evident at that point of time. Mamata Banerjee’s effortless and continues movement against the state government then played the role of a catalyst in ensuring the change of guards.
After ten years of Trinamool Congress rule now the same expression is becoming evident in Bengal again. On Thursday, while Mamata Banerjee started delivering her speech a woman climbed on the bamboo barricade and started shouting demanding job. The chief minister lost her temper and alleged that this was a deliberate sabotage attempt to spoil her programme. “Some people are planted deliberately to create chaos,” the chief minister alleged.
However, she started her speech again soon and the entire speech was full of scathing attacks against BJP. “The people of Tripura are suffering since BJP came to power there,” referring to a recent statement by the former CPI(M) chief minister from Tripura, Manik Sarkar.
Recently, the chief minister alleged that many committed Left votes are getting transferred to BJP. On Thursday, she again called for a complete boycott of BJP.
