The CPI(M) led left front scored an initial advantage over their rivals Congress-Trinamul Congress (CTC) combine by declaring their complete list of 294 candidate for the West Bengal Assembly Polls this year.
The CPI(M) led Left Front is facing a serious threat from CTC combine for the first time since 1977 when the left front rode to power and maintained their winning spree for seven consecutive terms. The Left Front was thrashed by the CTC combine, which unseated LF from 20 MP constituencies in the last parliamentary polls in 2009. This was succeeded by defeat of LF in municipal elections at the hands of Trinamul Congress and Congress.
However in the three recent smaller elections thereafter the CPI(M) scored impressive victories. In the Primary Education Council elections CPI(M) backed candidates routed the opposition by winning 180 of the 192 seats thereby stunningly improving their previous tally. In elections to college students union across Bengal, the CPI(M) backed Student federation of India and other LF backed student bodies won whopping 80% of the unions as well as Left Backed candidates won as much as 70% of school managing committee bodies in school elections.
These wins have worked as a moral boosters for the Left Front supporters and a rejuvenated CPI(M) led Left Front pulled up a million strong supporters to Brigade Parade Ground of Calcutta on 13th February’2011 to showcase their strength while setting the pitch for the elections.
The special features of the list of candidates declared on 13th March’2011 are as follows:-
a) Out of 294 assembly constituencies, the left front fielded as many as 148 new faces, up from 134 new faces in the previous Assembly poll in 2006.
b) Of these 148 candidates 70 were ‘Youths’ below 40 years of age and this is double the number put up in the last elections to assembly. Most of these youths are internet savvy and this youth brigade is expected to cover much of the lost ground of LF in past polls.
c) This is the highest ever new faces in repeat elections the previous highest being 134 in the last assembly elections in 2006.
d) As many as 9 sitting ministers were dropped probably for poor performance as per sources.
e) The number of Muslim candidates have gone up to 56, up from 44 last time.
f) Similarly Women candidates are up from 34 to 46.