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For the last one week, elections were held in at least 20 such bodies where CPM-backed candidates lost mainly to the Trinamool Congress and in some places to Congress-backed candidates. While CPM’s students wing, SFI, won only in the Kalyani University students’ union elections, the Trinamool won numerous school managing committee elections held from North to South Bengal.
After three decades, CPM candidates lost to Trinamool in their stronghold in Siliguri Boy’s School managing committee elections. It also lost in elections held in many schools in Howrah, Hooghly, North and South 24-Parganas, Murshidabad and reports are pouring in about such defeats from red bastions of Birbhum and Bankura schools as well.
Schools get funds for Sarva Siksha Aviyan, including upgrading of buildings and infrastructure and midday meal schemes. “Clashes are taking place during the elections because local political workers try to control these government schemes at the school level,” said a source in the education department.
School Education Minister Partha De said: “It is a fact that in many places the Leftists are losing, but we have not lost everywhere. It is the local people deciding how to run their schools... It has no larger political impact.” Trinamool leader Sovandeb Chatterjee, meanwhile, said: “It is evident that the people have rejected the ruling party workers at the grassroots level.”
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Reverses suffered by the Left in School governing body elections suggests public mood is in favour of change in political power in 2011 assembly poll.But what seems unfotunate,change in political power might not change the political scenario now prevailing.Situation might go from bad to worse unless good sense dawns on all political parties.