In the era of coalition politics, which is no doubt the demand of the time, the Tripura’s government has proved to be a role model as except some instance, the state has been witnessing to almost unbroken rule of the single party, Left, over the last 30 years.
Tripura is the second most population state in North-East India after Assam and is only the second state after West Bengal to have seen long-running Left Front dominance.
We cannot deny despite accepting the necessities of coalition politics in present times that coalition government cannot be the best substitution of single-party government considering the welfare and good governance of the state.
Coalitions cannot be based on shared experience and certainly not on a shared fear of the Man. It must be based on shared understanding of oppression. And all we are aware of the fact that lacking of “shared understanding” often proves disastrous for the coalition government resulting either into its collapse or go ahead with carrying out unusual demands.
Tripura goes to the polls Saturday followed by Meghalaya on March 03 and Nagaland, two days later.
The state election is not very significant in terms of Lok Sabha seats as they do not add much to the strength of a national party, but undoubtedly crucial for the ruling Congress, reeling under successive losses and desperately in need of wins to keep the morale high.
The Congress that is gearing up for general elections due in early next year must be hoping to win the polls in three northeastern states. Any win at this juncture especially after having lost elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh in quick succession last December would generate fresh energy in the party. After all, winning election is a good feeling as well as habit too.
The Left government, which has been ruling the state since 1978 faced defeat only for one term from 1988 to 1993, when the Congress formed the government in alliance with the Tripura Upajati Juba Samity (TUJS).
If the CPM registers one more victory, it would be its fourth consecutive victory in the state.
The long terms of reign is not a small achievements for any governments in the present era, as only Bihar and Gujarat have been exception to this rule in the last couple of decades.
Laloo Prasad Yadav, the founder of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) before losing the assembly election in 2005 had won three consecutive win in 1900, 1995 and 2000; while Narendra Modi from BJP also registered third successive win in the December, last year.
As far as Tripura is concerned, Congress Party emerged as the de-facto ruler of the state in the first couple of elections after the state incorporate into India in 1967.
The number of seats won by the Congress gradually went on reducing vis-à-vis CPM, which marked win progressively.
During the first election that held in 1967, Congress won 27 of the 30 assembly seats and that reduced to 41 of the assembly seats in 1972. Conversely, CPM rose from 2 to 16 seats in the same elections.
The 1977 proved turning point in the electoral history of the state. The CPM came into power with the thumping victory by clinching 51 of the 60 assembly seats.
Afterwards Congress formed an alliance with the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) and the present election that to be held on February 23, it is fighting jointly against the Left parties.
The Left parties, which are supporting the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, will fight against it at assembly elections for its ‘anti-people policies’ at the Centre.
Thus if Left win, it will be victory of single party in the era of coalition politics and would encourage various political parties to work for people if want to win election. Only coalition would not help in the formation of durable government by making alliance with other parties and, if it is, then that should be based on shared understanding of oppression.
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