In the GJM leaders, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee confronts people who are mirror image of herself : like the TMC leader , men like GJM leaders Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri are unbending in their demands and used to dictating their terms, which must be accepted in toto — or else.

In some ways, Ms Banerjee and the GJM leaders are anachronisms in the new millennium, as pluralism and rule by consensus have emerged as the political norms of the time. It is because of Ms Banerjee’s rigidity that the Tatas’ Nano car project was driven out Singur, Hooghly district. The same often violent, extreme form of agitation was followed at Nandigram. The TMC succeeded in ousting the ruling Left from power after 34 years. Their leaders lost no time in claiming that these agitations had brought them victory.

The argument remains debatable. What cannot be debated is that the once flourishing Singur area has turned into a rural backwaters, while Nandigram continues to slumber in the medieval ages. Worse, west Bengal has acquired such a bad anti-industry image that despite spending Rs 25 crore to arrange the “Bengal leads” meeting of industries at Haldia recently, not a single offer for investment occurred, for the second year running! So much so that the state government has now cancelled plans to organise a similar meeting to attract investors and industries from Mumbai.

Is Ms Banerjee sorry about what she and her party have done to West Bengal? Not in the least. Within hours of the pullout by the Tatas, she was telling the media, ”I’m proud of what we have done and will not hesitate to do it again, if a similar situation arises.” She takes pride in her obstinacy. “Remember, I always keep my promises, I never waver from what I set out to do. If necessary, I will walk alone. I will never, never, never, help industries acquire land or relax the urban land ceiling,” she declares at every meeting.

The worrying factor regarding the future of the North Bengal areas is that the GJM leaders are of a similar bent. Years of often violent agitation, blockades and disruptions have seen the diversion of tourist traffic from Darjeeling to more peaceful and orderly Sikkim for over a decade and more. The local economy including the tea industry has suffered in a major way. The economy has not gown for years, there have been no new jobs. Local people have protested against this occasionally.

Undeterred, GJM leaders tell them,” One always has to pay a price for freedom and no price is too high for it “. One should not be surprised by such lofty rhetoric. After all the GJM’s predecessor the GNLF had at one stage announced plans to create and independent country and written to the UN! Also, a survey to find out how many GJM leaders and cadres have been living in the 3 hill sub divisions of West Bengal for over 10/15 years, should unearth some interesting details, according to Left circles.

Both the GJM and the TMC understand and bow to superior political strength. Congress leader Mr. Arunava Ghosh says, “Mamata Banerjee’s style of politics is to finish off an opponent who is perceived to be weak.” This explained why she had refused to attend all party meetings with the Left front, with a visibly weakening Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at its helm. On the other hand, she formed unofficial alliances with the GJM the Maoists and others, whose sole attraction for her was their total antipathy to the Left front.

Once her purpose, winning power, was served, she did not hesitate to strike out against the Maoists, who had come under intense pressure from central forces. But the GJM and the Muslim vote bank she respected and coddled, because of their unpredictable ways and their volatile nature.

The GJM has gained far more from its understanding with the TMC than the other way around. It has also ignored the TMC government at critical times. This time, a day before Ms Banerjee is scheduled to address a meeting in the hills on Jan 28, the GJM top leaders have left for Delhi to talk directly to the centre about their statehood demand. “It is a deliberate snub, probably the worst insult for Ms Banerjee, they have treated her as though she does not exist!” says a Congress leader. GJM leaders also rub in the fact that Mr, Gurung never signed the accord with the state government which paved the way to create the autonomous Gorkha Territorial Authority (GTA), because he always had insisted on the creation of a separate state, Gorkhaland.

The question arises, what did then the state, the TMCV-led Government, achieve by agreeing to the GTA, allowing the transfer of much administrative power to the GJM? “It is a question Ms Banerjee can best answer,” says an observer.

Like Ms Banerjee again who sensed that the Left was weakening before the 2011 Assembly polls and went for the jugular, the Gorkhas also are astute enough to appreciate that after being in power for 18/19 months, the TMC government is badly exposed on all fronts because of its non performance. People do not believe in the promises and histrionics of their Chief Minister, not even the minorities, who have begun grumbling openly. The middle class and urban voters feel badly let down, most intellectuals once supporting her are abandoning the TMC ship. No wonder the GJM is going for the jugular, taking a leaf out of Ms Banerjee’s book. For once the Chief Minister is being paid back in her own coin. (IPA Service)