General Election 2014 and the Changing Political Equation in Bengal

Nirupam Hazra 1
The 2014 election result in the state of West Bengal clearly shows the dominance of ruling Trinamool
Congress as it has won thirty-four out forty-two seats in the state. Its main opposition, the Left front is
reduced to only two seats while Congress and BJP managed to get only four and two seats
respectively. But a deeper analysis of the result points towards a changing power equation in political
landscape of Bengal.
Keywords: BJP, corruption, secularism, Mamta Banerjee
The electoral battle in Bengal has been mostly a bipolar fight between Left front and Mamta Banerjee
led Trinamool Congress (TMC) since its emergence in late 1990s. The equation of political alliance
underwent many changesTMC joining BJP (Bharatiya Janta Party)-led National Democratic
Alliance (NDA), Left front offering support to United Progressive Alliance-I (UPA) , TMC and
Congress jointly fighting against Left front in the statebut the principal contest in recent past has
always been Left versus TMC.
2011 was a watershed year in Bengal politics marked by poribartan (change). The longest serving
democratically elected Communist government, after a rule of thirty-four years, was replaced by its
rival Trinamool Congress. In 2013 panchayet election, TMC maintained its dominance, though this
time there was no alliance between TMC and Congress. But the biggest test for the ruling TMC before
next assembly election was the general election of 2014 as it had already spent half of its five-year
tenure in the office and contesting alone without being part of any pre-poll alliance. The fight was
quadripartite this time involving the ruling TMC, Left front, Congress and BJP.
BJP in Bengal
BJP had a muted presence in West Bengal and was never considered to be a political force to reckon
with. Even in 1999 general election, when BJP led NDA came to power in the centre, it had managed
to win only two seats out of thirteen it had contested, while its ally TMC won eight seats. Since 1980
to 2009, BJP was able to win a parliamentary seat from Bengal only in three occasions. Significantly,
the founding father of present BJP, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee who himself was prominent
Bengali personality, had failed to garner enough support for his party in Bengal. In 1952, when his
party made its political debut as Jana Sangha, it was able to win only two seats. In 1980 BJP was born
as the new political face of Hindu nationalism in India. Riding on the wave of Hindutva politics, it
witnessed a steady rise in popularity, especially in northern part of the country; but in Bengal failed to
mark its presence.

General Election 2014

Even the 2014 general election result, apparently, does not point towards any immediate reversal of
political fortune of BJP in West Bengal. In spite of having a clear majority at national-level (with the
vote share of 31 percent), BJP won only two seats from Bengal. But what was significant is the BJPs
rapid increase of vote share in the state. Though it won only two seats, its vote share rose to 16.8%
which was around six percent in 2009. In many seats, it grabbed the third position with a margin of
less than 75,000 votes from the runner-up. Significantly, BJP even registered a lead from Bhabanipur,
the assembly constituency of TMC chief Mamta Banerjee.
Part of BJPs electoral success in Bengal is attributed to Modi-wave as it has been the case in most
other states. But it cannot fully explain the sudden rise of the BJP in a state which successfully
resisted communalisation of its political landscape, irrespective of changing political scenario at the
national level. BJPs support base in the state was mainly confined among small population of Hindu
nationalists and the people of Darjeeling. With the promise of separate Gorkhaland, BJP managed to
win popular support of the people in the hill, but it was never considered as viable political alternative
in the state neither by the middle class nor by the minority.
Beyond Modi-wave
After the historic assembly election of 2011, which brought about the much-awaited poribartan in the
state, people of Bengal hoped for a substantial and rapid development. Unemployment, lack of
industry and deteriorating law and order situation were among the issues of urgent attention. But new
government failed to deliver on the promise of poribartan. Issues like Naxalism and agitation for
separate state in Darjeeling were handled with grater aplomb; but it could not deliver much on
employment and industry. What increased the frustration common people of Bengal were corruption
and crime. In spite of having a clean political image and a humble living, Mamta Banerjee failed to
rein party members from indulging in corruption. The Sardha scam was the biggest blow for the party
as it took a heavy toll on the credibility and support-base of the party. Scores of small investors and
poor villagers became victim of the Ponzi scheme, which flourished under the alleged patronage of
ruling party leaders.
On the other hand brazen appeasement policy and misplaced priority of the government made the
situation worse. Government allowances for a particular minority community with a clear intent to
win political support made the claim to secularism hollow, discriminatory and opportunistic.
Government-sponsored extravagant ceremony for victorious private cricket team (Kolkata Knight
Riders which had no player from Bengal) was a classic example of misplaced priority, which was

even questioned by the High Court. And above all, it was the growing intolerance to any form of
criticism and deliberate indifference to the misdeeds of the party loyalists, created a kind of
democratic anarchy and lawlessness in the state.
A significant population, which deserted the Left front government, was disillusioned by the promise
of poribartan. On the other hand, BJP made quick inroad with the promise of acche din and wellpublicised Gujarat-model of development. For an industry-starved Bengal, Modis industry-friendly
image and plank of good governance struck a chord among middle-class Bengali , and along with this
BJP has been able to maintain a clean image so far in the state . Hence, the election results of 2014
points towards a gradual acceptance of the BJP in the state.
Road ahead
But the road ahead for BJP in Bengal will not be easier one as ruling TMC would try its best to
maintain its dominance, while Modis performance on controlling price-rise and other issues will be
one of the deciding factors for the party. On the other hand, BJP and its allies have to contain its
communal tendencies to present itself as acceptable alternative to the people of Bengal. Left front,
though down, yet not out as it would plan for a comeback exploiting the failures of the ruling parties
both at state and at the national level. For Congress 2016 assembly election will be another chance to
strengthen the organization of the party at the state. Therefore, 2016 assembly election, the first after
poribartan, is going to be one of crucial elections for all the political parties of the state and above all,
the people of Bengal.

The author is an independent scholar based in Delhi.

Email: hazra.nirupam@gmail.com
Present Postal Address
Nirupam Hazra.
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PIN-731235, West Bengal, Mobile-09477405073