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Bengal to Kerala, a tale of changing election politics from 2016 to 2021

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 2/27/2021 12:55:52 PM

New Delhi, Feb 26 With the Election Commission announcing poll schedules on Friday evening for the assembly elections in four states of Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and one Union Territory of Puducherry, an intense race for power will enter the last lap. Five years ago, the assembly elections had thrown five different winners in Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The Congress was in the hunt for power in all five states — in coalition of course in Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It ended up losing power in Assam and Kerala, and secured a win only in Puducherry forming government with the help of its Tamil Nadu ally, the DMK. The BJP wrested Assam from the Congress while it failed to make an impact in any of the other four assembly elections. The BJP’s win in Assam changed the fortunes of the party in the entire Northeast. The Left’s rout in Bengal was complete but it emerged stronger in Kerala, where the BJP made its debut in the assembly election. Led by late J Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK broke the cycle of anti-incumbency in Tamil Nadu to retain power for the first time since 1980s. No chief minister in Tamil Nadu since Jayalalithaa’s mentor MG Ramachandran had retained power in an election in Tamil Nadu. Another woman politician to lead from the front and emerge stronger was Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.