'Mamata has ruined Bengal': CPI(M)'s North Bengal heavyweight says Left will win back voters lost to BJP
'Whatever you see in Bengal today was built during the Left Front government,' says CPIM's veteran leader Ashok Bhattacharya
- Apr 21, 2026,
- Updated Apr 21, 2026 5:11 PM IST
CPI(M) hopes to better its tally in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. CPIM's veteran leader Ashok Bhattacharya says the party is aiming to win back voters who shifted to the BJP in the last election.
Bhattacharya, best known as a long-time Left Front figure in north Bengal and a former mayor of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, defends the Left government's 34-year rule and says Mamata Banerjee has "ruined" Bengal.
"This government has ruined Bengal. Whatever you see in Bengal today was built during the Left Front government," he says in an exclusive interview with Business Today.
He also served as West Bengal's urban development and municipal affairs minister from 1996 to 2011 and has been one of the Left's most visible leaders in the city for decades. In the 2021 assembly election, when he contested from Siliguri, he lost to the BJP's Sankar Ghosh.
This time, CPI-M has fielded Saradindu Chakraborty against BJP's Shankar Ghosh and Goutam Deb of TMC. "I picked up Saradindu for this seat; he will win this time," Bhattacharya tells BT.
Don't Miss: 'Mamata now a liability for TMC; we will win 165 seats if...': BJP's Siliguri leader Shankar Ghosh
Edited Excerpts
How important is this election for Bengal and for CPI(M)?
This election is not only important for Bengal but also for our country. We have lost three elections. In 2011, Trinamool Congress came to power. In 2016, our performance was better, but we lost. In 2021, we lost all seats. There was an alliance with the Congress at that time, but neither the Congress nor the CPI(M) got any of these seats in Bengal. Now, this time, our fight is with the BJP and the Trinamool Congress. We are hopeful that this time, our result will be better.
When you say the BJP is a threat, what do you mean by threat?
BJP is a communal party. Its main target is communists. They are very much anti-communist and anti-secularism and also anti-democratic. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was with the Hindu Mahasabha. He later founded Jana Sangh. That is now the BJP. Since 1999, the BJP has formed governments twice with the help of the Trinamool Congress. Trinamool Congress is BJP's natural ally. Now, the BJP, with the help of SIR, is trying to come to power. The BJP has politicised every constitutional institution, including the Election Commission.
You say the BJP is a threat, but people are electing the party state after state. The Left has, on the other hand, declined. You lost Tripura, you lost Bengal to TMC. The BJP is gaining in Bengal. If the BJP is a threat, why is it expanding? And when the Left is secular, why is it declining? Why is there this disconnect?
The BJP is using religious issues only. BJP is using Hinduism. We are not against Hinduism. The problem is that the BJP believes in Hindutva. Hindutva means their main slogan is a hatred campaign.
But what explains this pattern that the Left is declining and the BJP is ascending?
No, the Left is declining, but the Left is not dead. The Left is alive; the Left cannot be dead. People now want to get back the Left in West Bengal. We were in power for the last 34 years. People at that period were very happy. The Left government did several developmental works during that period. There were no communal riots. There was no casteism, no religious politics in Bengal. But the BJP is trying to come to power because of the misdeeds of the Trinamool Congress.
What were those misdeeds that paved the way for the BJP in Bengal?
The Trinamool Congress was founded in 1998. At that time, they allied with the BJP. That was the start. After that, in 2008, TMC launched an agitation against our industrialisation policy and opposed the Singur Tata factory project. After that, in 2011, TMC and Congress made an alliance to defeat the CPI(M) in West Bengal. The BJP first secured 3 seats in Bengal in 2016. In the 2019 election, the BJP secured 18 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal.
In 2021, people thought the CPI(M) couldn't defeat TMC. So that's why some Left voters voted in favour of the BJP. That was wrong thinking. Our votes went to the BJP. Some people voted for TMC also. This time, our slogan is to get back our votes from the BJP. We are trying to convince people that the BJP can't defeat the TMC. This time, the BJP cannot defeat the TMC. Because the RSS does not want to defeat TMC. Some RSS people openly said they are getting support from the TMC government. They have created many shakhas. They (RSS) do not want to defeat the TMC. Only the Left can defeat Mamata. So, people should vote for the Left, not the BJP. We are hopeful that this time our result will be better.
You call the BJP a communal party, but the Left has tied up with ISF (Indian Secular Front)...
ISF is a secular party. They are against both the BJP and the TMC. Last time, we made an understanding, not an alliance. So, ISF is not a communal party, because there are many Hindus in their party.
When you look back at three decades of Left rule in Bengal, what are you proud of? And what are the things you wanted to do but could not?
We are proud of our performance, especially land reform and the creation of a three-tier Panchayat system. During the Left Front period, at least 50 lakh people benefited from the distribution of land among landless peasants, especially Muslims, tribals, scheduled castes and backward communities.
Before we came to power in 1977, Congress was in power, led by Chief Minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray. After 1977, the Left Front government did a lot of work for poor peasants, villagers, slum dwellers and landless people. Agricultural production increased, and the purchasing power of rural people improved. There were no communal riots. We believed in class struggle and class politics. I think that was the golden era of Bengal.
We came to power through elections, not revolution. Every five years, panchayat and municipal elections were held. I was the municipal affairs and urban development minister for 20 years. No one could raise any question against us on honesty. We were in power for 34 years. That was a long period. There was anti-establishment sentiment, and people wanted change. That’s why we lost.
The charge against the Left government is that, apart from agriculture, there was not much job creation in non-farming sectors. Industrialisation did not happen as it should have...
We made a slogan: 'Agriculture is our foundation, industry is our future.' We took some initiatives for industrialisation. When the Government of India introduced a new economic policy, agriculture became non-remunerative. Job creation and income growth were not possible through agriculture alone. We also made a new industrial policy. Since the government would not invest, private investment was needed. Many private parties came forward. We received proposals from many investors. Our position at that time was fourth or fifth. Many investors were interested in investing in West Bengal. But the Trinamool Congress was totally against industrialisation.
There is a perception that the Left is against the private sector...
I have already said the Left came to power through elections, not revolution. We believe in socialism, but our government was not a socialist government. We functioned within a capitalist structure. Our aim was to create employment. Employment cannot be created through agriculture alone. That is why we invited investors. We got support from the UPA government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Tata was interested in investing in Bengal. Not only Tata, but some foreign companies were also interested. Our failure was that we could not convince the common people. TMC campaigned that we were snatching land. That was not correct. We gave land to the landless; we cannot snatch their land. But they managed to convince some people. That is unfortunate.
How confident are you about the Left’s chances in this election?
We are hopeful our results this time will be better than the last election.
In case of a fractured mandate, which way will you go?
Our stand is our stand. We will not support the Trinamool Congress or the BJP. We are against the BJP's ideology, and TMC does not have any ideology. It is an opportunist and very corrupt party. Its style of functioning is undemocratic and autocratic. This is a kind of electoral autocracy. With populism, they are gaining support. TMC is creating fear among Muslims that if they do not vote for them, the BJP will come and finish them. Muslim and religious fundamentalists support TMC, just like Hindu fundamentalists support the BJP.
When I was a minister, I kept 27 acres of land for an IT park in Siliguri. Recently, the chief minister laid the foundation stone for a Shiva temple on that land. Mamata Banerjee said there was no need for industry; temples can create employment. There is no difference between the functioning style of the BJP and the Trinamool Congress. That is why we are opposing both.
What is your view on what is happening in Bangladesh?
We oppose what is happening in Bangladesh. When Hindus were attacked and temples destroyed, we opposed it. When a mosque was demolished in Ayodhya, we opposed that too.
Economist Sanjeev Sanyal has said TMC and the Left destroyed Bengal economically and culturally...
Trinamool Congress destroyed Bengal's economy and values. But the BJP is trying to destroy Bengal's culture by imposing a northern culture. BJP is against the Bengali language.
Vietnam has surged ahead under Left rule. Why did Bengal fall behind?
You have to agree on one thing: the Left is right. Only the Left can give an honest and pro-people government. We also did development. You can ask what the present chief minister has done in the last 15 years. They are only giving allowances. That may help win elections. I am not against welfare. Some support is needed for the poor. But this government has done populism to promote
Bengal's economic position has declined. During the Congress rule, it ranked around 14th in per capita income and expenditure, even below Odisha. But there was a time when Bengal was fourth or fifth. This government has ruined Bengal. Whatever you see in Bengal today was built during the Left Front government.
CPI(M) hopes to better its tally in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. CPIM's veteran leader Ashok Bhattacharya says the party is aiming to win back voters who shifted to the BJP in the last election.
Bhattacharya, best known as a long-time Left Front figure in north Bengal and a former mayor of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, defends the Left government's 34-year rule and says Mamata Banerjee has "ruined" Bengal.
"This government has ruined Bengal. Whatever you see in Bengal today was built during the Left Front government," he says in an exclusive interview with Business Today.
He also served as West Bengal's urban development and municipal affairs minister from 1996 to 2011 and has been one of the Left's most visible leaders in the city for decades. In the 2021 assembly election, when he contested from Siliguri, he lost to the BJP's Sankar Ghosh.
This time, CPI-M has fielded Saradindu Chakraborty against BJP's Shankar Ghosh and Goutam Deb of TMC. "I picked up Saradindu for this seat; he will win this time," Bhattacharya tells BT.
Don't Miss: 'Mamata now a liability for TMC; we will win 165 seats if...': BJP's Siliguri leader Shankar Ghosh
Edited Excerpts
How important is this election for Bengal and for CPI(M)?
This election is not only important for Bengal but also for our country. We have lost three elections. In 2011, Trinamool Congress came to power. In 2016, our performance was better, but we lost. In 2021, we lost all seats. There was an alliance with the Congress at that time, but neither the Congress nor the CPI(M) got any of these seats in Bengal. Now, this time, our fight is with the BJP and the Trinamool Congress. We are hopeful that this time, our result will be better.
When you say the BJP is a threat, what do you mean by threat?
BJP is a communal party. Its main target is communists. They are very much anti-communist and anti-secularism and also anti-democratic. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was with the Hindu Mahasabha. He later founded Jana Sangh. That is now the BJP. Since 1999, the BJP has formed governments twice with the help of the Trinamool Congress. Trinamool Congress is BJP's natural ally. Now, the BJP, with the help of SIR, is trying to come to power. The BJP has politicised every constitutional institution, including the Election Commission.
You say the BJP is a threat, but people are electing the party state after state. The Left has, on the other hand, declined. You lost Tripura, you lost Bengal to TMC. The BJP is gaining in Bengal. If the BJP is a threat, why is it expanding? And when the Left is secular, why is it declining? Why is there this disconnect?
The BJP is using religious issues only. BJP is using Hinduism. We are not against Hinduism. The problem is that the BJP believes in Hindutva. Hindutva means their main slogan is a hatred campaign.
But what explains this pattern that the Left is declining and the BJP is ascending?
No, the Left is declining, but the Left is not dead. The Left is alive; the Left cannot be dead. People now want to get back the Left in West Bengal. We were in power for the last 34 years. People at that period were very happy. The Left government did several developmental works during that period. There were no communal riots. There was no casteism, no religious politics in Bengal. But the BJP is trying to come to power because of the misdeeds of the Trinamool Congress.
What were those misdeeds that paved the way for the BJP in Bengal?
The Trinamool Congress was founded in 1998. At that time, they allied with the BJP. That was the start. After that, in 2008, TMC launched an agitation against our industrialisation policy and opposed the Singur Tata factory project. After that, in 2011, TMC and Congress made an alliance to defeat the CPI(M) in West Bengal. The BJP first secured 3 seats in Bengal in 2016. In the 2019 election, the BJP secured 18 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal.
In 2021, people thought the CPI(M) couldn't defeat TMC. So that's why some Left voters voted in favour of the BJP. That was wrong thinking. Our votes went to the BJP. Some people voted for TMC also. This time, our slogan is to get back our votes from the BJP. We are trying to convince people that the BJP can't defeat the TMC. This time, the BJP cannot defeat the TMC. Because the RSS does not want to defeat TMC. Some RSS people openly said they are getting support from the TMC government. They have created many shakhas. They (RSS) do not want to defeat the TMC. Only the Left can defeat Mamata. So, people should vote for the Left, not the BJP. We are hopeful that this time our result will be better.
You call the BJP a communal party, but the Left has tied up with ISF (Indian Secular Front)...
ISF is a secular party. They are against both the BJP and the TMC. Last time, we made an understanding, not an alliance. So, ISF is not a communal party, because there are many Hindus in their party.
When you look back at three decades of Left rule in Bengal, what are you proud of? And what are the things you wanted to do but could not?
We are proud of our performance, especially land reform and the creation of a three-tier Panchayat system. During the Left Front period, at least 50 lakh people benefited from the distribution of land among landless peasants, especially Muslims, tribals, scheduled castes and backward communities.
Before we came to power in 1977, Congress was in power, led by Chief Minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray. After 1977, the Left Front government did a lot of work for poor peasants, villagers, slum dwellers and landless people. Agricultural production increased, and the purchasing power of rural people improved. There were no communal riots. We believed in class struggle and class politics. I think that was the golden era of Bengal.
We came to power through elections, not revolution. Every five years, panchayat and municipal elections were held. I was the municipal affairs and urban development minister for 20 years. No one could raise any question against us on honesty. We were in power for 34 years. That was a long period. There was anti-establishment sentiment, and people wanted change. That’s why we lost.
The charge against the Left government is that, apart from agriculture, there was not much job creation in non-farming sectors. Industrialisation did not happen as it should have...
We made a slogan: 'Agriculture is our foundation, industry is our future.' We took some initiatives for industrialisation. When the Government of India introduced a new economic policy, agriculture became non-remunerative. Job creation and income growth were not possible through agriculture alone. We also made a new industrial policy. Since the government would not invest, private investment was needed. Many private parties came forward. We received proposals from many investors. Our position at that time was fourth or fifth. Many investors were interested in investing in West Bengal. But the Trinamool Congress was totally against industrialisation.
There is a perception that the Left is against the private sector...
I have already said the Left came to power through elections, not revolution. We believe in socialism, but our government was not a socialist government. We functioned within a capitalist structure. Our aim was to create employment. Employment cannot be created through agriculture alone. That is why we invited investors. We got support from the UPA government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Tata was interested in investing in Bengal. Not only Tata, but some foreign companies were also interested. Our failure was that we could not convince the common people. TMC campaigned that we were snatching land. That was not correct. We gave land to the landless; we cannot snatch their land. But they managed to convince some people. That is unfortunate.
How confident are you about the Left’s chances in this election?
We are hopeful our results this time will be better than the last election.
In case of a fractured mandate, which way will you go?
Our stand is our stand. We will not support the Trinamool Congress or the BJP. We are against the BJP's ideology, and TMC does not have any ideology. It is an opportunist and very corrupt party. Its style of functioning is undemocratic and autocratic. This is a kind of electoral autocracy. With populism, they are gaining support. TMC is creating fear among Muslims that if they do not vote for them, the BJP will come and finish them. Muslim and religious fundamentalists support TMC, just like Hindu fundamentalists support the BJP.
When I was a minister, I kept 27 acres of land for an IT park in Siliguri. Recently, the chief minister laid the foundation stone for a Shiva temple on that land. Mamata Banerjee said there was no need for industry; temples can create employment. There is no difference between the functioning style of the BJP and the Trinamool Congress. That is why we are opposing both.
What is your view on what is happening in Bangladesh?
We oppose what is happening in Bangladesh. When Hindus were attacked and temples destroyed, we opposed it. When a mosque was demolished in Ayodhya, we opposed that too.
Economist Sanjeev Sanyal has said TMC and the Left destroyed Bengal economically and culturally...
Trinamool Congress destroyed Bengal's economy and values. But the BJP is trying to destroy Bengal's culture by imposing a northern culture. BJP is against the Bengali language.
Vietnam has surged ahead under Left rule. Why did Bengal fall behind?
You have to agree on one thing: the Left is right. Only the Left can give an honest and pro-people government. We also did development. You can ask what the present chief minister has done in the last 15 years. They are only giving allowances. That may help win elections. I am not against welfare. Some support is needed for the poor. But this government has done populism to promote
Bengal's economic position has declined. During the Congress rule, it ranked around 14th in per capita income and expenditure, even below Odisha. But there was a time when Bengal was fourth or fifth. This government has ruined Bengal. Whatever you see in Bengal today was built during the Left Front government.