Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee (CPM-led Left Front)
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the second time Chief Minister of West Bengal, is considered as a liberal among the Marxists. He started his political career as a primary member of CPM. He was elected as a MLA from Cossipore constituency in 1977, the year CPM came to power in West Bengal and became a minister for information and culture. He continued to maintain his profile in the rank and file of both CPM and Bengal politics. In 1993, Buddhadeb tendered his resignation from the state cabinet due to a significant difference of opinion with then chief minister Jyoti Basu. Within the CPM, Bhattacharjee was always considered as a viable alternative to Basu. That eventually led to him to become the chief minister in 2000.
In sharp contrast to Marxist ideology Bhattacharjee opened West Bengal’s door for industries and investments. Some called him ‘CPM’s renaissance man’ and others termed him ‘anti-Marxists’. But, Buddhadeb’s mega industry plank clicked in 2006 as CPI(M) swept the assembly elections.
Post 2006, Buddhadeb brand of industrialisation faced criticism. Buddhadeb’s pro-industry programme at the cost of livelihood of the people boomeranged on CPI(M). CPI(M) in Bengal could not remain the same party with the same ideology. It is now battling allegations of championing the cause of capitalism at the cost of the poor.
Mamata Banerjee (Congress supported Trinamool candidate)
Mamata Banerjee started her political career with Congress and quickly rose to the rank of general secretary of the All India Youth Congress. In 1984 she was elected to Lok Sabha defeating CPM strongman Somnath Chatterjee from the Jadavpur parliamentary constituency. She was one of India’s young parliamentarians in 1980s. Banerjee was made the Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development, Youth Affairs and Sports, and Women and Child Development in the Narasimha Rao government in 1991.
In 1997, Mamata Banerjee left the Congress alleging that the party was behaving as a stooge of the CPM in West Bengal and floated Trinamool Congress. Trinamool quickly became the primary opposition to the long-standing Communist government in the state.
In 1999, Banerjee joined the BJP-led NDA government and became the Railways Ministry. In 2001 she walked out of the NDA cabinet and allied with the Congress Party in West Bengal Assembly elections held in the same year.
She again returned to the NDA fold and joined the cabinet as a Coal and Mines minister in 2004. In 2009 general elections she formed an alliance with Congress-led UPA. Mamata, the leader of the second largest party of UPA coalition became the Union Railway Minister again. But due to West Bengal elections, Mamata remains indifferent towards the crucial ministry and eyeing for the chief minister’s chair in Writer’s building.
The fluctuating political profile of Mamata Banerjee tells a story. Mamata was earlier lacking stability as a political leader. But, with the emergence of a ‘capitalist CPI(M)’ under Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s rule, she found a ready-made opportunity. She has closely identified the Left issues, hijacked them in the Left bastion and used them against the Left.
M Karunanidhi (DMK)
Karunanidhi began his career as a screenwriter in the Tamil film industry. He thoroughly used both Tamil literature and Tamil cinema as medium to propagate fanatic Dravidian movement.
He entered to the foray of politics by anti-Hindi agitations. He was first elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly in 1957 in a DMK ticket. He became the DMK treasurer in 1961 and deputy leader of opposition in the state assembly in 1962.
When the DMK came to power in 1967, he became the minister for public works. Karunanidhi has been the leader of the DMK since the demise of the party founder CN Annadurai in 1969. He took over as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 2006 after DMK defeated its main opponent AIDMK.
In this election, Karunanidhi’s DMK is facing the biggest ever threat to its position. With the DMK patriarch’s blue eyed boy and former telecom minister A Raja under CBI custody for 2G spectrum scam, investigations are haunting Karunanidhi, his party and his family. There is no doubt that 2G scam issue will bring a negative swing against DMK in this election. But Karunanidhi is all set to fight it out with his money power.
There are other issues like Lankan Tamil issue and fishermen’s killing adding to Karunanidhi’s anti-incumbency woes.
In addition, there is infighting in his family. With Karunanidhi on the verge of calling it a day, a neck and neck battle between his children for his succession has erupted. The family feud has also created fissures in the party.
J Jayalalithaa (AIADMK)
After a successful career in Tamil film industry as an actress J Jayalalithaa joined AIADMK in 1981. Her association with politics grew because of her proximity to Late MG Ramachandran (popularly known as MGR) and that helped her to become his political heir.
In 1988, she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha. In 1989, Jayalalithaa won the elections to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly and incidentally became the first woman to be elected as the Leader of the Opposition.
In 1991, following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, just days before the elections, her alliance with the Congress paid off as a sympathy wave propelled the coalition to a massive victory. She was re-elected to the legislative assembly and became the first elected woman chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
In 1996 assembly election, AIADMK lost to DMK in a landslide defeat. In 2001 Tamil Nadu polls, defying the pre-poll predictions Jayalalithaa returned to power with a huge majority and mustered a bigger coalition. In 2006, Tamil Nadu assembly elections, her AIADMK had to relinquish power to DMK.
VS Achuthanandan (CPM led LDF)
VS Achuthanandan is the senior most leader of CPI(M) in Kerala. He started his political career as a Congress trade union leader in 1930s. In 1940 he joined the CPI. During 1957 Indo-China war, he was amongst the handful of Communist ‘nationalists’ to support India. Remember, he was demoted in the party rank after participating in a blood donation camp to help Indian soldiers? In 1964, CPM was carved away from CPI and Achuthanandan joined the CPM. He served as a CPM state secretary between 1980 and 1992. Since 1985 he is the member of the CPI(M) politburo, the highest policy making body of the party.
Achuthanandan served as an editor of CPI(M)’s Malayalam mouth piece Deshabhimani.
As a Chief Minister he made tall promises for industrialisation but hardly manage to keep them.
In 2009 Achuthanandan was suspended from the politburo for his tussle with state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.
In July last he hurled a political bombshell by saying “an attempt is going on to convert Kerala into an Islamic state”. Very obviously, his ‘Islamic Kerala’ byte faced the ire of his party. His comment was slammed by Muslim organisations. Congress flayed Achuthanandan by saying it was part of CPI(M)’s strategy to play the ‘Hindu card’.
For this election like the last, CPI(M) state committee first denied Achuthanandan a party ticket to contest poll, but following huge outcry by his supporters, CPI(M) politburo intervened and the state committee had to reverse its decision.
The 87-year-old CPI(M) patriarch is contesting Kerala polls and hopes to retain power.
Oommen Chandy (Congress led UDF)
Oommen Chandy ventured into political arena as an activist of Kerala Students Union (KSU) and soon became its president.
In 1970, he was elected as the president of the State Youth Congress. Chandy served as a labour minister, home minister and finance minister of Kerala in between 1977 to 1994.
Oommen Chandy became the Kerala CM in 2004 after senior Congress leader AK Anthony vacated the post to take up a national assignment.
Since 2006 he has been serving as the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Tarun Kumar Gogoi (Congress)
Gogoi started his political career as a Youth Congress leader. Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi spotted his promising young talent and entrusted him with the responsibility of organising the Youth Congress in Assam. In 1971, Gogoi was elected to Lok Sabha.
Gogoi was the joint secretary of All India Congress Committee in 1976. The six-time Lok Shabha MP served as a Union Minister from 1991 to 95. In 2001 he assumed the Office of Assam’s chief minister. In 2006, Gogoi beat the anti-incumbency and came back to power.
In this election, an anti-incumbency storm is brewing against his decade-long government. Tarun Gogoi government is battling allegations of various scams quantified to the tune of Rs 20,000 crore. In addition to that, there are issues like illegal immigration and tea garden issue which adds to Gogoi’s anti-incumbency woes.
Prafulla Kumar Mahanta(AGP)
Prafulla Mahanta is regarded as the other most powerful and influential politicians of Assam. Mahanta is credited for becoming the youngest chief minister in the country`s history.
He started his political career with All Assam Students Union, a student organisation that spearheaded the Assam Movement between 1979 and 1985. After serving as the president of All Assam Students Union, Mahanta joined the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).
He served as the chief minister of Assam for two terms -- 1985–1990 and 1996–2001. In 2005, his membership in the AGP was terminated and he floated a new political party, Asom Gana Parishad (Progressive).
But his need in AGP was largely felt before the 2009 Lok Sabha Elections to fill the void of leadership. He was re-inducted into the AGP and became an integral part of the party again. In 2010, he was unanimously elected as the Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly.
V Vaithilingam (Congress)
V Vaithilingam is a Congress strongman in the union territory of Puducherry.
Vaithilingam contested for the 1980 assembly election with a Congress ticket and lost with a close margin. He won the 1985 assembly election and became a public works and power minister. Vaithilingam was sworn in as the chief minister of Puduchery in 1991.
When Congress in the union territory was marred by a rift within, the party high command asked the elected chief minister N Rangaswamy to resign in 2008 and Vaithilingam became the Chief Minister.
Vaithilingam advocates smaller government and greater participation of private sector. It seems Vaithilingam-led Congress government faces little opposition in the union territory of Puducherry.
N Rangaswamy (All India NR Congress)
N Rangaswamy started his political career from the Congress party and soon rose in party’s rank and file.
He held important portfolios like agriculture minister and PWD minister in the union territory in between 1991 and 2000.
It was under his leadership Congress had grown by leaps and bounds in Puducherry. In 2001 after Congress won another term, Rangaswamy was sworn as the Chief Minister. In 2006 the Congress-led Democratic Progressive Alliance(DPA) came back to power and Rangaswamy was re-inducted as the chief minister.
As a chief minister, Rangaswamy was largely instrumental in developing the infrastructure of Puducherry. He introduced free education in government schools and fee reimbursement for college students.
It was under his tenure as chief minister that Puducherry was recognised as the best in the small state category.
In 2008, Congress in the Union territory was marred by internecine infighting. The party high command asked Rangaswamy to resign.
After resigning from Congress, Rangaswamy floated his political party called All India NR Congress.
He is known for his down-to-earth life style.
-- As it appeared in the Battle for states 2011 coverage of Zeeonline
No comments:
Post a Comment