Many senior journalists have fallen into the trap of assuming that what is happening to the TMC has always happened in Bengal.
This is patently untrue.
Firstly, Congress leaders and workers stayed with the party throughout the long 34-year tenure of the Left Front.
After the Left Front lost in 2011, it remained largely intact as a political entity despite the campaign of terror unleashed on its cadre in rural Bengal. Even in 2014, the Left Front got a 30% vote-share — a larger number of marginal voters switched, but the core remained with the LF.
In fact, in the 2016 assembly elections the Left and Congress 'Mahajot' retained their aggregate vote share at 39% — roughly the same as what they had got in 2014, when they fought in opposing camps.
The violent ouster of the Left cadre from rural Bengal accelerated after this, peaking during the 2018 Panchayat elections. After that the Left's core base switched en masse to the BJP, instead of joining or backing Mamata Banerjee.
The Left's cadre needed a 'shelter' against the TMC's terror tactics in rural Bengal, and they found it in the BJP, which was in power at the centre.
Not only do voting patterns after 2016 confirm this, but researchers who have worked in rural Bengal have reported this shift as well.
What is happening now to the TMC is an entirely novel process. It is taking place because the TMC sustained itself around a personality cult of sorts. When the leader fell, everyone began deserting the ship.
There is no previous parallel to this in West Bengal's political history.
7th June arrested for protecting poor homes against bulldozer janata party, 8th bail and Rally in support of jadavpur slum dwellers, 10th June travel to Delhi and demand the resignation of Education Min. @SrijanForYou you are the light in this dark market where mp mla s are sold
This stays on my timeline because when the main opposition ran away, Srijan stood with the poor and tried to stop bulldozers coming to demolish livelihoods of poor hawkers.
The lights still on, fan still trying hard to relive the kolkata heat, the last roti still remains unfinished, and you are asked for just 10 min notice for this. #jadavpur
Mr. Modi,
This is no Congress or TMC that an ED raid will throw them flying to your side. Bring all your agencies, godi medias and dalals, the Communists will hold their ground. The ground that taught us how to fight & resist.
Courage cannot be raided.
✊🏾
We condemn this blatant attack on the freedom of expression of our Youth.
Why is the Government so scared of a little bit of Sarcasm?
#CockroachJantaParty
Claiming that the Trinamool Congress is "melting down faster than ice" in this summer heat, the CPI(M) is hopeful of taking over the Opposition space in West Bengal.
https://t.co/PCtNd1Snjr