Letter to BS: Debacle of the Left Front in Tripura is a dreadful sign

With reference to “Left out” (March 6), the debacle of the Left Front in Tripura is a dreadful sign that has brought the communist movement in India to the brink of an existential crisis. 

The primary cause for the drubbing of the Left in Tripura may be attributed to the dominance of a majoritarian Bengali culture despite tribals comprising 31 per cent of the state’s population. The Left Front government could curb the decades-long insurgency in the state. Yet it failed to tackle the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura, a separatist tribal party that could conflagrate the apprehension of indigenous people regarding questions protecting and preserving their language, culture, customs and traditions.

Unemployment may be another reason that chimed the death knell for the Left Front in Tripura. According to the fifth employment-unemployment survey published in 2016 by the Labour Bureau, Tripura topped the list of states and Union Territories with the highest unemployment rate (19.7 per cent). The government failed to create jobs even in the IT sector despite achieving the status of third internet gateway in the country. As a result, it failed to attract the new voters that comprise 30 per cent of the electorate. Besides, non-implementation of the 7th Pay Commission enraged government employees.

Rampant corruption and nepotism are also responsible for the humiliating defeat of the Left. Ironically, under the regime of Manik Sarkar (pictured), the poorest CM, corruption spread its roots thanks to the nexus between government officials and local Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders in the lower levels as it had been during the last phase of the Left Front 

government in West Bengal. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has rightly said the demise of Left is a disaster for the country. The only silver lining for the Left is that it secured 42.7 per cent of the vote share, not far behind the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It shows that the Left has been rejected politically, not ideologically. On the other hand, time will say how the BJP tackles unemployment and tribal unrest.

Buddhadev Nandi   Bankura

Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to: 

The Editor, Business Standard

Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg 

New Delhi 110 002 

Fax: (011) 23720201  ·  E-mail: letters@bsmail.in

All letters must have a postal address and telephone number