Left out of Power - Bengal Elections 2011

In view of the recent defeat Mamta Banerjee handed out to the Left Front, ousting them out of power contemptuously, supporters - both in the Trinamool Party and in the electorate - might be taking pride in the huge margin by which the Left got defeated, and as a matter of fact, it shall be unusual if that doesn't happen and one can't blame them for that. Yet the fact that there's no significant opposition in a Legislative Assembly can be potentially harmful for any government, enough to keep one in discomfort.

For any system to function properly, an optimal balance is needed -- a 'good' opposition (essentially a counter-debating process) in case of a governing system. Though it depends on the 'quality' of opposition, numbers matter in most states in India as the 'quality' factor has gone for a toss years back.

Now the Left Front is grappling while trying to form a proper opposition in the 2011 Assembly (leave alone the fact that there is not a suitable man to be the Leader of the Opposition). While it shouldn't have such a 'threat' if the exercises in the Assembly are done in copy-book style (what I mean is more or less a spirit in which intelligent debates are conducted) including acknowledgment of the mutual respect between the 2 sides(inspite of win/lose in the political front)that should be there, the uncivilized way in which govt & opposition go at each other with hammer & tongs (not unique in India of course) negate such fancy -- one of the reasons why 'political culture', has assumed such a dirty, negatively fallacious impression in the common citizen's mind and why (few)good politicians of intent are sadly dismissed away by sweeping commentaries people/institutions are given the chance to make.

The New CM, having coming to power the hard way, has to be watchful of the 'corrupt power', power empowers the corrupt with. A very fine and subtle balance - yet one is hopeful that both politicians and we, the electorate have learnt the lesson, for our own good.
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Dr.Anirban Chaudhuri,
Consultant Physician,Mumbai, India.
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Everywhere I go I find that a poet has
been there before me..(Sigmund Freud)
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