- Every time West Bengal is about to have panchayat elections, those who closely monitor political developments across the nation worry. Due to the history of violence experienced during the panchayat elections in West Bengal, none of the other Indian states would garner as much attention or headlines. The fact that several innocent people died during the previous elections adequately illustrates how the succeeding governments, as well as other stakeholders like the State Election Commission and law enforcement authorities, have failed to stop the violence. The recently completed panchayat elections in West Bengal were no different; everything began to go as predicted as soon as the election dates were announced.
PC: India Today News Desk
- Before the election, there were many dramatic events, and the Calcutta High Court had to intervene to make sure the polls went on as scheduled. It makes sense that Bengal’s panchayat elections consistently garner more media attention than rural body elections given the state’s political importance, but what sets them apart are the widespread allegations of vote tampering and violence, which are becoming less common throughout the rest of India. Unsettlingly, more than 40 lives were lost this time due to the elections. Regrettably, Bengal’s election security situation is also unclear. Why were the centralized troops unable to bring about peace? Also, the forces have severe grievances against the denial of information at private polling places.
- It’s interesting to note that by the time voting closed last Saturday, 17% of the requisitioned enterprises had not even arrived in Bengal. However, there was progress on another front as well; only about 10% of seats were uncontested, down from 34% in 2018. Hence, the contest was more equitable. Trinamool has, as expected, mostly kept its ground. This fundamental picture remains the same whether the BJP or the Left win, the Congress wins, or Trinamool’s performance declines relative to 2018. What does this mean for 2024, given that Bengal has 42 members in the Lok Sabha? Since it is the state’s patron, the state’s ruling party has an edge in rural voting. But, the past of Bengal’s panchayat elections reveals conflicting trends.
PC: ANI
- Mamata Banerjee will recall that the BJP snatched away 18 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections following Trinamool’s impressive 2018 panchayat victory. The BJP is currently a very distant second in rural polls. Therefore, it would be a good idea to spread your predictions out. Nevertheless, the primary goal of grassroots elections—to enable local actors to take part in the planning of local government activities and to hold the bureaucracy at this level accountable—is rarely remembered amid all the bitter political street fighting, a Bengal specialty, and intense political competition that occurs in other states. Panchayats will face increasingly tough competition as welfare spending increases in line with an aspirational society, but they won’t necessarily become better administrators.
