Apparently, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the only party which seems isolated in the present context, with no party showing any interest in any understanding with it. But this may be deceptive, and more on this soon.

In recent weeks, the state unit of the CPI(M) has more or less succeeded in winning over most of its other constituents in the left Front about the need for an alignment/electoral understanding with the Congress. Their rationale: the very structure of democracy, fundamental rights and democratic/autonomous institutions have been undermined during the Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule in West Bengal. There is need for an across-the-board unity among pro-democracy forces to restore democratic functioning, in the manner of the post emergency elections in the seventies, which led to the defeat of the Congress. So their objective: to consolidate the anti-TMC vote as much as possible, which succeeded in the Left winning the civic elections in North Bengal.

Initially, the CPI, the Forward Bloc and the RSP all objected to such a stand, because of the long acrimonious relationship between the Left and the Congress and the manner in which the latter had repeatedly dismissed left-ruled governments. Congress cadres had killed Leftists and driven them out of their homes during 1972-77 in Bengal.

The CPI(M-L) questioned what it called the obvious opportunism of the CPI(M) in issuing such a call for an alliance bereft of any principle, or political programme with the sole aim of ousting the TMC. Therefore the question of a an extended, united Left front was out of the question, even though the CPI(M-L) opposes the TMC no less strongly than others.

However the recent jathas and rallies organised in most parts of the state, and the well attended Brigade parade ground meeting, all worked out on the CPI(M)’s initiative, seemed to have carried the day among its other front partners. Their leaders were present at the Brigade parade rally. State CPI(M) leaders like Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, former Chief Minister and Dr Suryakanta Mishra, State Secretary, openly called for an electoral understanding with the Congress. They appealed to the Congress leaders to announce their response to their proposal one way or another. There has been no response yet.

On behalf of the State Congress, President Adhir Choudhury and leaders like Abdul Mannan and others openly supported the call for an alignment with the Left. Congress leader Somen Mitra told the party High Command in Delhi that any understanding with the TMC would finish what remained of it in the state. If the state Congress aligned with the Left, on the other hand, it may at the worst be betrayed, but not totally destroyed.

State Congress leaders told Mr, Sonia Gandhi and Mr Rahul Gandhi, President and Vice President of the Congress, that the TMC had tried to crush the party, breaking its ranks and unleashing police excesses against it all over Bengal, in a bid to finish it off. Worse, it had broken off its 2011 alliance with the Congress for no reason in 2013, driven by its desire to deny other parties any political space. Net result: there had been massive defections, the gradual wiping out of Congress strongholds in the major South Bengal districts and a reduction in its vote share. Even initial objectors like Dr Manas Bhuyan later fell in line and favoured opposing the TMC.

During all this time, TMC leaders especially Ms Mamata Banerjee, remained largely silent over these developments, obviously adopting a wait-and-watch position. However, two features were discernible. One, neither she nor other TMC leaders attacked or ridiculed the Congress any more in their speeches. Two, BJP Ministers visiting West Bengal began praising Ms Banerjee and the TMC’s performance overriding the embarrassment, protests and pressures from its leaders and rank in the state!

Congress insiders told IPA that within the High command, they could sense a slightly more positive attitude towards the TMC in Mrs Gandhi, but not in Rahul. He insisted that the feedback from the state units would be all important. Even if this meant defeat for the Congress, it would at least retain its identity. In any alliance the Congress would be decimated by the ever expansionist TMC.

The situation at the centre remaining uncertain, the announcement by Punjab Congress leader Captain Amrinder Singh that the state party was keen to work out an understanding with parties like the CPI and the CPI(M) to combat the NDA, brought cheer to both Congress(I) and the Left camps in Bengal. Simultaneously, it was seen as a setback for the TMC.

That the TMC felt things were going out of control became apparent as almost on cue with the Punjab announcement, Ms Banerjee and other TMC leaders resumed attacking the proposed Left-Congress tie-up in stinging terms as before. In employing the sheer viciousness of language, the TMC leaders are in a class of their own, in all of India. Once more, their reputed proficiency on this score was in full play at all meetings addressed by Ms Banerjee, even if she was presiding over official programmes like distributing cycles and stipends among folk artists.

However, there were again two noticeable traits in the TMC’s new shift. There was virtually no attack on the Congress, while the choicest abuse and ridicule were showered on the Left. Nor was there much of an attack against the BJP directly. Apart from posing as the messiah for the Muslims, (other minorities hardly are ever mentioned), the TMC also did not attack the Prime Minister Narendra Modi by name.

The BJP too remained mostly quiescent, raising speculation among observers. It organised a few half hearted rallies that were not a patch on the demos put up by the Congress or the Left. However, at only one political meeting, even BJP Minister Nitin Gadkari, who enjoys a good equation with Ms Banerjee, strongly criticised the TMC for its championing of Muslim fundamentalism, creating vote banks among anti socials and rowdies and being unable to ensure the protection of even policemen or thanas in the state! Leaders like Mr Siddharthnath Singh and Mr Vijaybargi used stronger words, but it did not seem to have brought much cheer among the confused BJP ranks.

As stated before, in case the Left-Congress tie up took shape as demanded by the Bengal unit but not endorsed at the politburo or Central Committee level of the CPI(M), the BJP’s present isolation may prove to be a transitory phase. (IPA Service)