The curious case of West Bengal
Who would have guessed that Congress would win more than 200 seats, Sensex would double in months and above all our own KKR will win a match and then making it 2 in a row.
10 years ago, same time of the year, people were discussing rot in test cricket inflicted by one dayers, Congress was on the verge of extiction, sensex was languishing at a level which now would reflect Behenji as Prime Minister and I was in my second year engineering in Serampore, West Bengal. Life on the banks of river Ganges was fun and eventful. One event that made our life hell was the elections of 1999. Our college was made vote counting centre and that meant 2 weeks of unscheduled holidays. It was in this elections that the BJP made a historic win after losing the vote of confidence by just 1 vote. As for Bengal it was the same old story.
Most of us came back to college with a heavy heart. Jyoti Basu had just pulled a master stroke, he retired and asked Budhdhdev to take over. I remember how much we hated the Left Front. We all knew then that in 2 years we have travel to distant land in search of jobs. Not that I hated it but many realized they won't be able to do it. Language problems, family issues or simply a desire stay back, you call it what you want but for these set of people there was simply no option to stay back. WB's industrial scenario was dead.
Our only hope was trinamool congress coming back. But with Buddha in CM's seat the equation changed. In no time people liked Buddha's idea's, his forward looking statements. CPM went on to win the 2001 and 2006 state elections and also the 2004 Lok sabha polls where our didi won just 1 seat. In these 10 years I started liking Buddha and let me tell you frankly, there were many more like me. Hate the Left, love Buddha.
But look at him now. His efforts for industrialization has fallen flat. He developed the infrastructure of the state but couldn't do much for the 21 years of misrule by his predecessor. Now every one claims he was responsible for CPM's failure.
Strange isn't it. When the state government did nothing people voted them to power. When it tried to change, the opposition created a stir and now is on the way to power.
Does people of Bengal love their backwardness, unemployment and horrible infrastructure?
10 years ago, same time of the year, people were discussing rot in test cricket inflicted by one dayers, Congress was on the verge of extiction, sensex was languishing at a level which now would reflect Behenji as Prime Minister and I was in my second year engineering in Serampore, West Bengal. Life on the banks of river Ganges was fun and eventful. One event that made our life hell was the elections of 1999. Our college was made vote counting centre and that meant 2 weeks of unscheduled holidays. It was in this elections that the BJP made a historic win after losing the vote of confidence by just 1 vote. As for Bengal it was the same old story.
Most of us came back to college with a heavy heart. Jyoti Basu had just pulled a master stroke, he retired and asked Budhdhdev to take over. I remember how much we hated the Left Front. We all knew then that in 2 years we have travel to distant land in search of jobs. Not that I hated it but many realized they won't be able to do it. Language problems, family issues or simply a desire stay back, you call it what you want but for these set of people there was simply no option to stay back. WB's industrial scenario was dead.
Our only hope was trinamool congress coming back. But with Buddha in CM's seat the equation changed. In no time people liked Buddha's idea's, his forward looking statements. CPM went on to win the 2001 and 2006 state elections and also the 2004 Lok sabha polls where our didi won just 1 seat. In these 10 years I started liking Buddha and let me tell you frankly, there were many more like me. Hate the Left, love Buddha.
But look at him now. His efforts for industrialization has fallen flat. He developed the infrastructure of the state but couldn't do much for the 21 years of misrule by his predecessor. Now every one claims he was responsible for CPM's failure.
Strange isn't it. When the state government did nothing people voted them to power. When it tried to change, the opposition created a stir and now is on the way to power.
Does people of Bengal love their backwardness, unemployment and horrible infrastructure?
posted by Sumanta @ 10:11 AM
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