The comprehensive victory for Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the just concluded West Bengal civic polls is significant in more ways than one. While winning elections, whether they are municipal, assembly or parliamentary, is part and parcel of a State’s democracy, the important thing that we should note is that peaceful election gives us the opportunity to bring about change and one that it based on the supreme will of the people. Therefore we should not just laud the winning of elections but more importantly encourage recourse to peaceful change based on democratic means available. Issues have to be fought not by resorting to violence but through debate and persuasion. This is the hall mark of democracy. And we need to encourage more of such ‘little revolutions’ across the world where people’s voice can be heard and their choice made. The electoral success of Mamata Banerjee is even more significant for various reasons. It was not just another elections won but this particular verdict has send a clear signal that people favour a political change in the state, which has been ruled continuously by the Marxists for several decades now. For example, the CPI (M) was almost decimated in the red belts of the North 24-Paraganas and in Hooghly both strong holds of the Left. In Hooghly district, Trinamool routed the Left Front in 11 of the 12 municipalities. The point to be noted is that in democracy, the will of the people is supreme and no political party or leader can undermine this power. And election is a true test of not only legitimate power but also the popular voice of the people.
Democratic means of protest or contest is good for everybody. The Bengal civic polls have shown that change can indeed happen no matter how powerful or strong a ruler is. And we have seen the wonderful medium of democratic elections change the course of history or to out it in another way ‘little revolutions’ taking place. The historic elections in the United States of America which saw the propelling of the first ever American-African to the White House is well known for the ‘change’ it brought. Similarly closer home in Nagaland, we can cite the significant political wind of change following the defeat of the Congress after decades of ruling and the emergence of the NPF and Neiphiu Rio coming into his own as a leader in his own right. All these have been momentous events and not so much because of winning alone, though it matters, but in the end we are able to win or lose in a dignified and orderly manner and because we have the democratic means to pursue the path of order, persuasion and peaceful change.
And in this time of great upheaval around the world, such ‘little revolutions’ should serve as a lesson that people’s desire for change or the fight for legitimate political power can become a reality if we choose to exercise our right in a democratic and peaceful manner while also having the patience to overcome failures. We need to also further consolidate the foundations of democratic governance to ensure enduring stability and development and also resolving and ending conflicts by peaceful and democratic means. We cannot allow the culture of violence and animosity to fester. So whether it is the Maoist question or any other conflict situation, these should be handled and managed through peaceful and democratic means.
