West Bengal Under the Left: A Rule of 34 Years, 1977-2011

West Bengal under the Left: 1977-2024

by Rod Liddle

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4202 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	327 pages
Hardcover	:	264 pages
Item Weight	:	15.2 ounces
Dimensions	:	5.5 x 0.75 x 8.75 inches

FREE

West Bengal, a state in eastern India, was under the rule of the Left Front, a coalition of communist and socialist parties, for 34 years, from 1977 to 2011. The Left Front government, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)),implemented a number of progressive policies, including land reforms, rural development, and the expansion of education and healthcare. However, the government was also criticized for its authoritarianism and corruption. In 2011, the Left Front was defeated by the Trinamool Congress, a regional party led by Mamata Banerjee.

The Rise of the Left in West Bengal

The Left first came to power in West Bengal in 1977, after the Indian National Congress (INC) government was defeated in the state assembly elections. The Left Front, led by the CPI(M),won a majority of the seats in the assembly and formed a government under the leadership of Jyoti Basu. Basu, a charismatic and popular leader, served as chief minister of West Bengal for 23 years, from 1977 to 2000.

The Left Front government implemented a number of progressive policies during its time in power. These policies included land reforms, which redistributed land from large landowners to poor peasants; rural development programs, which provided infrastructure and services to rural areas; and the expansion of education and healthcare, which made these services more accessible to the poor.

The Left Front's Authoritarianism

Despite its progressive policies, the Left Front government was also criticized for its authoritarianism. The government was accused of suppressing dissent and of using violence against its political opponents. In 1993, the government was involved in a massacre of 14 farmers in the village of Nandigram. The massacre sparked widespread protests and led to the resignation of Basu as chief minister.

The Decline of the Left

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Left Front government began to decline in popularity. The government was plagued by corruption scandals and was seen as being out of touch with the needs of the people. In 2006, the Left Front lost its majority in the state assembly elections, and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee became chief minister.

Bhattacharjee attempted to reform the government and introduce new policies, but he was unable to stem the decline of the Left Front. In 2011, the Left Front was defeated by the Trinamool Congress, a regional party led by Mamata Banerjee. The Trinamool Congress has been in power in West Bengal ever since.

The Legacy of the Left Front

The Left Front's rule in West Bengal was a complex and controversial period. The government implemented a number of progressive policies that benefited the poor, but it was also criticized for its authoritarianism and corruption. The Left Front's legacy is still debated today.

The Left Front's rule in West Bengal was a significant period in the history of Indian politics. The government's progressive policies helped to improve the lives of the poor, but its authoritarianism and corruption ultimately led to its downfall. The Left Front's legacy is still debated today, but there is no doubt that it played a major role in shaping the political landscape of West Bengal.

West Bengal under the Left: 1977-2024

by Rod Liddle

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4202 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	327 pages
Hardcover	:	264 pages
Item Weight	:	15.2 ounces
Dimensions	:	5.5 x 0.75 x 8.75 inches

FREE