By Satish Aparajit
West Bengal has long shaped India’s political, cultural and intellectual landscape. From the freedom struggle to literature, industry and reform movements, Bengal’s contribution to the nation remains unmatched. Once among the richest regions in the world, Bengal thrived through its rivers, trade in silk and muslin, and a flourishing culture shaped by Mughal and regional influences. The resistance of Siraj ud-Daulah against the East India Company remains a defining chapter in Indian history. Bengal also pioneered India’s industrial growth and introduced institutions such as club culture and one of the second oldest golf courses outside the British Isles.
Partition in 1947 divided Bengal into East and West on religious lines. Industrialisation also brought strong trade unionism and the rise of communist ideology inspired by Karl Marx. The Naxalbari Movement of 1967, led by figures such as Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal, marked a turbulent phase in the state’s politics. The Left Front then ruled West Bengal for 34 years, from 1977 to 2011. While it strengthened labour politics, it prolonged political violence and industrial decline forced many businesses to relocate, eroding the state’s economic standing.
The arrival of Mamata Banerjee and the All India Trinamool Congress in 2011 brought the promise of Paribartan (change). Expectations were high as the long Communist rule came to an end. However, after three consecutive terms, concerns grew over allegations of corruption, syndicate culture, political violence, economic stagnation and appeasement politics. While welfare measures benefited sections of the economically weaker population but many promises of change remained unfulfilled.
Today, West Bengal appears to be entering another political transition, with the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party backed strongly by the leadership at the Centre. Attention has now turned to Suvendu Adhikari, once a close associate of Didi, emerging as the BJP’s first Chief Minister in the state.
As understood from someone who was directly involved in the election process, the RSS played a pivotal role in shaping and swinging Hindu votes in a seven-year sustained effort. No surprise that the only state election of the country was watched and monitored by the neighbouring countries as well as many other parts of the world.
The challenges before the new government are formidable:
- Restoring law and order and ensuring women’s safety.
- Rebuilding confidence among small businesses and traders.
- Tackling institutionalised extortion and the alleged “syndicate raj”.
- Addressing illegal infiltration and implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
- Reviving industry and attracting long-term investment back to the state.
- Strengthening border management along Bangladesh.
- Securing the strategically vital Siliguri Corridor, or “Chicken Neck”, crucial to India’s national security.
With a “double-engine sarkar” aligning state and Centre, funding may not be a major hurdle. The real test will lie in governance, transparency and execution. Questions around political integrity and past allegations against leaders will also remain under public scrutiny.
As the gateway to eastern India, West Bengal remains strategically and politically critical. Its future trajectory will not only shape the region’s economy and security, but also influence the broader national narrative.
(Satish Aparajit is a retired Wing Commander and Shaurya Chakra awardee.)
