Despite roaring election wins throughout West Bengal, a lack of response from its student voters has the Trinamool Congress concerned. Its hopes of sweeping college and university polls have been shattered by the CPI(M)’s Students Federation of India (SFI) that defeated Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) in several seats.
The SFI, which retained most seats, grabbed many seats which have been with the TMCP for a long time.
To beat this trend, Trinamool has initiated a new drive to strengthen the organisational network of its student wing. Under the leadership of leader of opposition in West Bengal assembly, Partha Chatterjee, a new constitution is being drafted to steer the TMCP forward.
According to SFI general secretary Ritobrata Banerjee, the success of SFI is based on good campaigning and students realisation of how Trinamool had been misleading people.“First, our sustained campaign against the Centre’s initiatives on privatisation and centralisation of the education system has made an impact. In fact, the students can see how Trinamool is trying to control college and university unions by using hooligans. It has been misleading people by pretending to be their saviour. The students are concerned after Bengal lost the Nano project due to the Trinamool’s anti-industry war cry. That’s why more and more colleges and universities are standing by SFI,” Banerjee told DNA.
However, TMCP accused SFI of creating misconceptions that Trinamool is losing its student base. TMCP’s advisory committee chairman, Baishawnar Chatterjee, said out of the 400-odd colleges in Bengal, elections were held in 300. “Last year, we won in 90 colleges. This year, we’ve won more seats. Loss of a few seats at Jadavpur and Presidency does not mean we are not making headway,” Chatterjee said.
He said Trinamool and Congress have won in Burdwan, Purulia,
Birbhum and Bankura districts, which have been the Left’s strongholds.
According to a political analyst, Mamata Banerjee’s decision to offer railway concession a particular community hasn’t gone down well. “Concessions on the basis of economic background would have been better,” he said.
Trinamool dismissed the notion. “Students have welcomed the move. The Sachar report says minorities are disadvantaged. Mamata is trying to bring parity,” a party member said.
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