The year 2023 in West Bengal witnessed a tumultuous political landscape, with the panchayat elections taking center stage and leaving an indelible mark on the state’s political narrative. Despite certain shifts in political dynamics over the years, the specter of violence continued to haunt West Bengal, defying the ebb and flow of other political phenomena.
The panchayat elections, held during the year, became a breeding ground for widespread violence that spanned across several districts, resulting in more than 40 casualties from both inter-party and intra-party clashes. While the official figures put the toll at 28, the Chief Minister pointed out that Trinamool Congress supporters bore the brunt of the violence, underscoring the intensity of the clashes.
From the issuance of election notifications on June 8 to the polling day on July 9 and even during the counting on July 11, reports of violence and murders flooded in daily. Areas like Murshidabad, South 24 Parganas, and Cooch Behar bore witness to heightened levels of brutality. In the realm of rural elections, where stakes run higher than assembly and Lok Sabha elections, political loyalties proved to be fluid as thousands vied for a stake in local politics across party lines.
Despite the intervention of the Calcutta High Court and the deployment of central forces, the West Bengal State Election Commission failed to curb the rampant violence. Even after the results were declared, the bloodshed persisted, with Trinamool Congress panchayat pradhans allegedly falling victim to opposing factions within the ruling party.
The unrestrained violence not only claimed lives but also cast a shadow on the state’s law and order situation, raising questions about stability despite 12 years of Mamata Banerjee’s leadership. The elections laid bare the difficulty of shaking off violence in West Bengal’s electoral politics.
In addition to the electoral turmoil, the year saw significant by-elections, notably the Saradighi by-election in Murshidabad district. Here, a Left-supported Congress candidate defeated the Trinamool Congress nominee in a constituency with a 70% Muslim population, hinting at a shift in Muslim electorate preferences. However, such shifts proved transient, as the elected MLA defected to the ruling party shortly after the results were announced.
Amidst this political maelstrom, scams and arrests by central agencies dominated the state’s political landscape. West Bengal Forest Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick’s arrest in a public distribution system scam and the apprehension of Trinamool MLA and leaders in a school recruitment scam added layers of complexity to the political narrative.
The rise of Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee as the undisputed number two in the party marked another significant development. As debates over old guard versus new blood within the Trinamool Congress unfolded, the opposition, particularly the BJP, saw Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari emerging as a contender to the Mamata-Abhishek duo.
Looking ahead to 2024, the future of West Bengal’s politics hinges on the Trinamool Congress’s performance in the Lok Sabha elections. The debate over old guard versus new blood will continue, shaping the selection of candidates and potentially influencing the political landscape for years to come. The Lok Sabha election will serve as a litmus test for the BJP’s chances in the 2026 Assembly elections, and whether the CPI(M) and Congress can maintain relevance as a third force in West Bengal remains to be seen.
In conclusion, the political upheavals of 2023 have left an indelible mark on West Bengal’s political landscape, shaping the trajectory of its politics and setting the stage for future contests.