BARELY seven months ago, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal seemed poised to assume a position to overthrow the ruling Trinamool Congress in the 2021 Assembly election. However, there has been a perceptible change in the State’s political scenario following the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), which brought along with it the fear of an impending National Register of Citizens (NRC). The BJP now appears to be on the back foot while the Trinamool, riding on anti-CAA and anti-NRC protest waves, gains momentum.
The CAA, in fact, has created a see-saw situation in Bengal politics: one party seems to be getting an edge over the other, only to lose it and then regain it. With the municipal elections around the corner and the Assembly election scheduled for next year, it is difficult to predict who will finally emerge with an advantage. The BJP’s performance in the Lok Sabha election was extraordinary. It won 18 of the State’s 42 parliamentary seats, wresting 14 from the ruling party and increasing its vote share to a whopping 40.25 per cent. The saffron party, it appeared, was well on its way to dethrone the Trinamool in the next Assembly election. A strong anti-incumbency sentiment, rather than a pro-NarendraModiwave, was working in the BJP’s favour, making the situation all the more precarious for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
This story is from the January 31, 2020 edition of FRONTLINE.
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This story is from the January 31, 2020 edition of FRONTLINE.
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