Last week, barely two years ago, the TMC was calling for a new alliance in Bengal, to fight the resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)! The wheel came full circle for TMC Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose call for talks on a proposed anti BJP line up that would include the CPI(M), stunned her friends and critics alike.

Ms Banerjee’s visceral hatred for the CPI(M) has pathological dimensions, but not without reason. The Left had not only humiliated her for years, but its goons tried to kill her too.

It was understood that once in power, the TMC would claim its pound of flesh. Even so, the extent to which the TMC treated the Left parties (whose share of votes never dropped below 29 per cent, down from around 41 per cent in 2011) as a political non-entity, surprised most observers. Under instructions from Ms Banerjee, never a stickler for rules or conventions, the TMC as well as the state government stopped inviting representatives of other parties to any formal celebration or function like celebrating Rabindra Jayanti, or inaugurating a new road or bridge, even in areas where the TMC had not won!

Worse, senior Ministers like Madan Mitra and Jyotipriya Mallik, competed with each other in abusing Left and other opposition parties in the filthiest possible language. Even MPs like Tapas Paul and small time local leaders like Anubrata Mandal and Arabul Islam introduced their own refinements, ordering followers to burn the houses of opposition supporters, kill the menfolk and rape the women, in public rallies. Nor were the Congress and the BJP spared.

Such tactics lowered West Bengal politicians before the rest of India, but the TMC remained unabashed. Ms Banerjee never pulled up a single member of her goon brigade either for their filthy language or their activities. The police all over Bengal had been rendered inoperative, in that it had not the power anymore to arrest a ruling party member even if the latter was accused of serious crimes. The local TMC leader had to be consulted first. As the Chief Minister Ms Banerjee is also the Minister in charge of the police department.

At their kindest, TMC leaders like Mallik and Mandal referred to the CPI(M) cadres and supporters as 'lepers' who must be shunned or 'poisonous cobras' which must be killed on sight ! From May 2011 to the present, Left, Congress and BJP leaders have written over a thousand letters to the chief Minister and others, complaining of police harassment, judicial excesses, intimidation, looting, arson, rapes and murders. Dr Suryakanta Mishra, CPI(M)’s leader of opposition in the Assembly, alleges that not a single letter brought any reply and most were not even acknowledged! There was no relief in the assembly either, as discussions were not allowed.

Suffice it to say that relations between political parties in Bengal had never deteriorated to this extent in the past, when the Congress or the Left was ruling. The question arises, what has now prompted Ms Banerjee to canvass political support from the same 'lepers' and 'cobras' so viciously hated by the TMC until recently?

The answer is simple: Her instinct as a long time political survivor comes into play here. It is by no means the first time that the so-called Iron-lady of state politics is crying for help. As a city-based scribe put it, 'She has always asked even her enemies for help when she has been pushed into a corner and cannot manipulate her way out. The first time this happened was during the Presidential election, as the TMC opposed Mr. Pranab Mukherjee’s bid. All other parties supported him, except the TMC which ensured its own humiliation by pressing for a division in the Lok Sabha debate on the issue!'

Earlier Ms Banerjee had appealed for talks with the CPI(M) in Bengal, telling her loyal media persons ,'I have no ego. I would not mind having tea with CPI(M) State Secretary Biman Bose at Alimuddin street(to discuss the possibility of voting against Mr, Mukherjee)'. Bose replied civilly enough that anyone was welcome to the party office for political talks, but would not commit himself further.

She showed her willingness to line up with the devil (read the Left and the Congress) for the second time after the LS polls, as the BJP swept to power in Delhi. Despite the TMC's good showing, the BJP made significant gains in Bengal, increasing its vote share from 4 per cent in 2009 to around 17 per cent in 2014, winning two seats. Worryingly for other parties there began a gradual trickle of workers and supporters of all other parties, including the TMC, to the BJP.

Alarmed, the Iron lady of Kalighat met a Left deputation in a rare gesture, for the first time in 3 years. Treating Left leaders to tea and fried fish, she urged upon them to ensure that there was no defection to the BJP! She urged upon the Congress to do the same. Needless to say, she took no steps to meet their main demand — stopping atrocities and police excesses against Left workers and supporters in the state!

Her call to non BJP parties last week to come together in an alliance is her third appeal since 2013, to counter the BJP. Referring to the recent by-poll results in Bihar, where she thought Mr. Lalu Yadav and Mr. Nitish Kumar had done a good job, Ms Banerjee felt that pre alliance talks could begin in West Bengal as well with other parties.' There are no untouchables in politics,' she said.

CPI(M) leader Mohammad Salim reminded her of the police excesses and harassment of party workers since 2011 , referring to these as obstacles which needed addressing urgently. The CPI(M) had no objections to joining like-minded parties on the question of communalism or corruption, he said. He recalled that prior to her earlier alliance with the BJP, she had made the same observation, that no party was 'untouchable' in politics!

The Congress did not respond immediately. But the BJP reacted along predictable lines. Party State President Rahul Sinha said the Chief Minister had only publicly exposed her fear of the BJP! The BJP had always known that at some point the TMC and the CPI(M) would join hands against them. The exodus from other parties to the BJP had become common concern for all opponents of the party.

Observers feel that for all the interest shown by the TMC in putting together a broad anti-BJP platform, the task may prove very difficult. There was a sharp reaction within the CPI(M) ranks some months ago their leaders shared tea and fish fry with the Chief Minister. Persuading them to join an alliance with their tormentors now tainted the stigma of the Sarada chit fund scam, may not prove very easy for their senior leaders already under pressure within the party for their poor post-poll functioning. (IPA Service)