Jyoti Basu as PM: An opportunity lost between cup and lip
If the Communist Party of India (Marxist) central committee would have shown green signal for a Prime Minister post for Jyoti Basu, the party's fortune in the country would have perhaps been a different one.
OPPORTUNITIES DO not knock twice at the door. It was an event that might have changed the fortunes of Communist Party in India. When the central committee of Communist Party turned down the offer of a Prime Minister ship of United Front government for him, Jyoti Basu called it a historic blunder. Later, time proved that Basu was right. The great comrade who taught his party the first lessons of practical communism is no more. The death of Jyothi Basu marks the end of another era in the Indian politics.
Credited with the honour of India’s longest serving Chief Minister, Basu has always been an iconic figure for communists in India. The personal charisma and intellectual depth possessed by the leader made him acceptable even by his political rivals. In spite of ideological differences, Basu maintained cordial relations with leaders across various parties.
Born on July 8, 1914, in Kolkata Jyoti Basu graduated from Presidency College with an honours in English in 1935. After that he went to study law in London and returned to India as a barrister in 1940. Basu’s relations with communist ideology began during his early years in London itself. Back in India, he became a full time member of Communist Party of India and its trade union activities.
Basu reached the state assembly for the first time from Baranagar constituency in 1952. When the party was divided in 1964, over ideological differences Basu became one of the nine founding members of Communist Party of India (Marxist). Taking the saddle in his hands, he strengthened the party in Bengal and stormed to power in 1977, as the Chief Minister of first Marxist alliance in the state. Leading a nine party alliance under CPI (M), Basu kept the red bastion unchallenged for 23 years (five consecutive terms) before passing on the baton to Budhadev Bhattacharya in 2000.
Jyoti Basu as a CM spent his initial years for implementation of land reforms and democratisation of Panchayathi Raj structure. He is also credited with the opening of doors for private capital in the industrial sector of West Bengal by encouraging joint ventures. Basu’s reputation among larger sections of political class and the grass roots of society made him the greatest bidder for a PM post in 1996. But when party denied the post, Basu the disciplined party member reconciled with central committee decision.
Jyoti Basu is leaving behind him a Bengal where his party no longer enjoys a popular support and mass base. Crumbles have appeared on the red fort of CPI(M). His successor Budhadev so far proved to be a failure in carrying over his charisma or grace in administration. Will Jyoti Basu become the first and last chapter of Left government in Bengal as said by Mamata Banerjee? Or will his party regain its lost strength to give a death blow to the political rivals. The stage is not yet set. Let’s wait for 2011, for an election without Jyoti Babu.
Born on July 8, 1914, in Kolkata Jyoti Basu graduated from Presidency College with an honours in English in 1935. After that he went to study law in London and returned to India as a barrister in 1940. Basu’s relations with communist ideology began during his early years in London itself. Back in India, he became a full time member of Communist Party of India and its trade union activities.
Basu reached the state assembly for the first time from Baranagar constituency in 1952. When the party was divided in 1964, over ideological differences Basu became one of the nine founding members of Communist Party of India (Marxist). Taking the saddle in his hands, he strengthened the party in Bengal and stormed to power in 1977, as the Chief Minister of first Marxist alliance in the state. Leading a nine party alliance under CPI (M), Basu kept the red bastion unchallenged for 23 years (five consecutive terms) before passing on the baton to Budhadev Bhattacharya in 2000.
Jyoti Basu as a CM spent his initial years for implementation of land reforms and democratisation of Panchayathi Raj structure. He is also credited with the opening of doors for private capital in the industrial sector of West Bengal by encouraging joint ventures. Basu’s reputation among larger sections of political class and the grass roots of society made him the greatest bidder for a PM post in 1996. But when party denied the post, Basu the disciplined party member reconciled with central committee decision.
Jyoti Basu is leaving behind him a Bengal where his party no longer enjoys a popular support and mass base. Crumbles have appeared on the red fort of CPI(M). His successor Budhadev so far proved to be a failure in carrying over his charisma or grace in administration. Will Jyoti Basu become the first and last chapter of Left government in Bengal as said by Mamata Banerjee? Or will his party regain its lost strength to give a death blow to the political rivals. The stage is not yet set. Let’s wait for 2011, for an election without Jyoti Babu.
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