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Greatbong has an interesting post analysing the reasons for the continued Communist grip on West Bengal. By all accounts, Communists are coming back to power with an even more thumping majority. While I broadly agree with his reasoning, a few caveats would be in order.First, the Communists are largely responsible for the de-industrilization of Bengal. Under Jyoti Basu, militant trade unionism was patronized, violence became a way of life and industrialists were hounded as if they were criminals. If the Communists are shining now in Bengal, it is to a large extent because the benchmark has been set so low, so low infact they the only way would have been up. Also, no other party would have got so many chances as the Left had.Second, greatbong in his post refers to CPM having tentacled itself in power, though he does not give it a lot of significance. I dare say, this intermingling of state and the party, where they become one and the same is a much more important influence, and a characterstic of almost all long surviving Communist governments. I remember a Kristoff article, where he mentioned that up to 30% of North Koreans have a stake in the government.(1) We must remember, an entire generation in Bengal has grown up under the Communists.Third, The Communists in Indian politics are the biggest anachronism. The oppose economic reforms, infact any sort of reforms which can affect even the smallest segment of their support group. Witness their vehment opposition to Airport privatization. Probably, reforms would have been much faster if the Communists were not supporting this government. Their oppostion is not restricted to economic field, they try to shape India’s foreign policy, decrying any closeness to US as selling out. And even the reformist Buddhadeb is not above calling Bush ”the leader of the largest gang of organized killing”-messers Stalin and Mao would have surely turned in their grave!With charactersitic duplicity which is second nature to a Communist, they oppose economic reforms in the Center while promoting the same in Bengal and actually winning the middle class vote for them. They will oppose MNCs, but welcome the Salem group with open arms. IT is suddenly cool, Infosys is a friend! Eh? But why not in the rest of the country?And where does the Left derive its support from? Almost 60 of the 64 Left MPs come from Bengal and Kerela. Take away these two states, and what is left of the Left? This limited support should not give Left the disproportionate voice in Indian polity, in fact one shock from Bengal and the Left would be completely marginalized.A vote for the Left in Bengal might be a vote for Bengal, it is certinaly not a vote for India.Infact, the very opposite. I hope Bengal would realize that, at least for the parliamentary elections.(1) Before a true blue Bengali beats me to an inch of my life, I must clarify, I am not saying Bengal is North Korea, at least not yet.:)