By Pallab Ghosh

The Trinamool Congress which registered a significant victory in the 15 Lok Sabha elections is emerging as a strong political party in West Bengal.

The left which was confidant of gaining more than half of the seat could not even secure 20 seats in the polls. Excited and jubilant Mamta Banerjee, Trinamool Congress chairperson for whom this victory was a step close to her goal of ousting the Left from the state said, “People have voted for the change and I am very happy that the left has lost badly. We are confidant that we will sweep the assembly polls in 2011 and oust the Red brigade completely from the Bengal”.

However, she expressed her gratitude to the people of West Bengal. Speaking to the press the Trinamool chairperson said her party which was a pre poll alliance of the UPA will always give unconditional support to the Government and would never create any problem in the functioning of the Government.

However, back in New Delhi the senior Congress leaders seem be very happy with the alliance and expressed their satisfaction over the timely tie up with the Trinamool Congress. “We are not taking those parties much into consideration which backed out before elections as pre poll alliance but would certainly respect our pre poll alliances like the Trinamool Congress while taking decision on government formation”, said Digvijay Singh, senior Congressman. Both Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi congratulated Bannerjee on her party’s massive victory over phone and welcomed her to join the Government in the center.

People of west Bengal have voted for the change and first time since 1977 have expressed their dissatisfaction over the autocratic rule of the Red brigade especially after witnessing how the CPI (M) handled the fiasco and coming down brutally on the poor villagers in Nandigram and Singur over the land acquisitions.

Even the Chief minister of the state turned his back over the situation. The Tapasi mallik gang rape also spread anger among the people which had already lost faith in the Left and wanted a change but remained confused since there was no strong opposition in the state.

Though things were positive for the Trinamool Congress in the last to last assembly elections when there was a fair chance for Mamata to take over the Writers’ Building but her decision of taking back support from the NDA Government over the Teleka case confused the electorate to question her integrity. Her slogan “ever or never” became reality and she lost confidence among the electorates in the state.

Electorates of the West Bengal have presented the opposition alliance of the Trinamool Congress and the congress 25 of the 42 seats in the state which have reduced the presence of the left from 35 to 15 in west Bengal. The left which handled the mysterious death of Rizwanur Rehman in a most casual way also irked the Muslims community in the state and in spite of much persuasion and wooing to vote for the Red brigade by the Chief Minister failed and they preferred voting against Left.

However, the Trinamool chirperson who may not be too keen to have a ministerial berth in the New Delhi at present since her eyes are all set on the assembly election scheduled in 2011 when she is all set to wipe the Left from the state and form her Government.

Trinamool Congress won’t pressurize the UPA Government over any berth at the centre since we want the government to function properly. We respect the verdict of the people and are confidant to wipe the left from the state”, said Bannerjee. Well, she may not be keen on having a ministerial berth though, but the political analyst are not ruling out the possibility of Mamata being offered the Railway ministry in the UPA cabinet as goodwill gesture and a reward for bringing 19 MPs with her.

Some though also feel that Trinamool chairperson herself may abstain from taking a berth but the names like Sudip Bandopadhaya, Saugata Ray and Dinesh Trivedi are likely to come while considering the cabinet portfolios.

The people in the state have once again ushered great confidence in the leadership of Mamata and hope she will bring change in Bengal which is feeling suffocation under the rule of the Left.

But whether Bannerjee will be able to fulfill these expectations or not is yet to be watched. We all have to wait till 2011 when a major change is expected in West Bengal which might not be pleasant for the Left as the forth coming assembly election may route the Red brigade from the state and bring a fresh wave with the Trinamool Congress ruling the Writers’ Building.