ISAS Briefs

That the Left Front, the longest-serving democratically elected Communist government, was voted out in West Bengal did not come as a surprise. The margin of victory for the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress was, however, not anticipated by many. The Trinamool rode on the strong desire for change among West Bengal voters. Among the other factors for the Trinamool's thumping victory were discontent over the Left Front's land acquisition policy, the transfer of allegiance of Muslim voters to the Trinamool and the inability of the Left to comprehend the extent of voter dissatisfaction.