by Dhurjati Mukherjee
The election process has concluded, and all eyes would be on May 4, the day of counting. The West Bengal contest has been particularly intense, marked by sharp political rivalry between the All India Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Allegations regarding the use of muscle power and attempts to influence the electoral environment have surfaced, though the presence of central forces such as the Central Reserve Police Force has been seen as a stabilising factor in maintaining order during polling.
At this stage, it remains difficult to predict the outcome with certainty. While some analysts suggest that the BJP could make significant gains compared to its previous tally of 77 seats, both parties have expressed confidence in securing a majority. The final verdict will ultimately be determined when the results are declared. Even in the event of a reduced mandate, a return to power for the Trinamool Congress would still reflect substantial electoral support, albeit potentially lower than in the previous Assembly.
Under Didi’s franchise, the party successfully runs a ‘dada’ (musclemen) culture in their region. The problems of industrial decline, increasing debt and high levels of unemployment paint a grim picture of misgovernance. However, Mamata’s welfare model offers a quick fix and masks deeper economic issues. The hike in LakshmirBhandar and introduction of Banglar Yuba Sathi scheme and Krishak Bandhu are an extension of her political protection. Mamata has been outstanding in playing a dual role – while showing concern for the poor and marginalised on one hand, and corruption on the other.
The alleged corruption of the present regime is spoken of and not just musclemen, but the bureaucracy is accused of lending support. Recall, Supreme Court had recently observed that a chief minister cannot ‘obstruct’ an inquiry and put democracy in peril viz interruption of raids on I-PAC premises. “A chief minister of any state cannot walk in the midst of an investigation, put democracy in peril and then say, convert this into a dispute between the state and the Union. This is per se an act committed by an individual who happens to be the chief minister, putting the whole democratic process in jeopardy,” the bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and NV. Anjaria stated.
Further referring to previous judgments, it pointed out that “none of these would have ever conceived of this situation at that time that in this country a day will come when a sitting chief minister will walk into the office of some other agency”, Justice Mishra stated, adding that the framers of the Constitution too would not have envisaged such a savage and undemocratic act of a chief minister. Reports had said she had barged in so that the ED could not take the papers/files as these reveal her corrupt activities.
Some analysts are of the opinion that if the TMC regains power – perhaps a slender majority – it will become more belligerent. It may lead to a dangerous situation as she will try all sorts of antics as well as motivate the musclemen to resort to violence for the forthcoming municipal elections.
At least in West Bengal and other eastern states, political awareness is much below standard as we do not keep comparative data to judge performance of political parties or the promises they make and the work they do with public money. For example, there are innumerable cases filed by the Bengal government in the Supreme Court and the money spent in challenging judgments of the High Courts with high-profile lawyers. How can public money be spent at will and why should all cases that go against the state be challenged in the apex court? Can there be no mechanism of preventing a state going to the apex court at will and spending crores of rupees?
The very fact that our awareness level is quite low does not speak highly of the democratic polity which politicians exploit and abuse to their own advantage. There have been diverse opinionswhether the marginalised have the power to think or whether they can effectively participate in the decision-making process. Though the primary concern of the poor is work, food, shelter and health, they also think about freedom from their own perspective and like to assert their rights to get their essential demands fulfilled. But politicians and decision-makers mostly turn a blind eye to the grass-root problems and the genuine demands.
The narrative of capitalist exploitation has few takers in the recent elections. The recent World Tracker India 2026 report claimed that the richest one percent of Indians control 40 percent of national wealth and the richest 10 percent nearly 60 percent of the national income while the bottom half survived on a 15 percent share. The World Inequality Lab showed India to be virtually the most unequal country in the world, more unequal than even during the British Raj. The tragedy is that inequality in the country has been increasing at a rapid pace, but politicians do not refer to this in the campaigns.
Good governance is imperative in the running of administration of not just the state apparatus but also of the local self-government. It is regrettably poor in Panchayats with low teaching standards as teachers are not recruited on merit and health apparatus in the villages and sub-divisions is dismal. This is obviously not the case in respect of Tamil Nadu or Kerala or the other southern states.
A change is critical and there are many ways to bring it about. The most important being the induction of educated youth in political parties. Moreover, the autocratic tendencies of political parties must change, and decisions have to be taken, at least by say five people at the top. Parties like the BJP or the CPM, which are cadre-based parties, have a mechanism where decisions are not taken by any one individual, as in the case of TMC, but by a group of people.
While citizens expect effective governance from both the Centre and the states, what remains most crucial is prioritising the needs of the lower strata of society. Rural infrastructure certainly requires sustained improvement, but such efforts are undermined when a significant portion of allocated funds—allegedly as high as 50–60 per cent in places like West Bengal—is siphoned off by party cadres. This leakage not only erodes public trust but also prevents intended benefits from reaching the poor. Ultimately, whether better days materialise will depend on the ability of governments to ensure accountability, curb corruption, and deliver tangible outcomes for the marginalised. —INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
New Delhi
27 April 2026
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