Over the years, a clutch of political activists, ‘intellectuals’ and professional time-servers have made flattery of the West Bengal chief minister into a thriving cottage industry. It would be interesting for a social historian to examine the genesis of this victimhood, which has dominated the politics of West Bengal since 1977. The CPI(M) in West Bengal was essentially a very Bengali party. First, despite its long innings in national politics, the BJP in West Bengal was a relatively new and marginal force. In the case of West Bengal, politics is still paramount, and a wrong turn may lead to a state entering an area of unending darkness.

Source: The Telegraph January 29, 2026 02:32 UTC