Mamata's opponents are happy just giving media bytes in AC rooms; no wonder TMC is confident

Another round of sting operation came out before all on Monday but Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee seems to be little purturbed by the episode.

Banerjee has been seen taking along leaders of her party accused of taking bribe during her campaign for the Assembly polls starting April 4.

The accused were seen walking in the rally sporting bright kurtas and panjabis, raising a pertinent question: Aren't they worried about the sting operation at all?

It is quite a unique situation in Bengal. The Opposition and the media are criticising the ruling party after the Narada sting operation as "shameless" as they continue to seek votes but the TMC leaders are least bothered about it and are saying with confidence that things like Saradha and Narada will affect the people little as they believe in Mamata Banerjee's leadership.

TMC leaders are confident because they know there is no alternative to Mamata

This precisely explains the reason. The TMC's accused leaders know very well that the sting operation will lose its sting in no time since the Opposition lacks the teeth to make any serious dent into Banerjee's 'credibility factor'---the TMC's biggest political capital.

It is quite ironical to see that the accused in the state's political circles are proudly marching on the streets while the Opposition leaders, who should be doing the walking to capitalise on the anti-incumbency factor, are content with giving bytes on news channels.

Opposition leaders are content with criticising Mamata in the AC studios of TV channels

There is in fact little difference between the Opposition leaders and the channel anchors and other academic experts as all are happy to criticise the government and the ruling party in the comforts of the air-conditioned studio.

The CPI(M) and the Congress are trying hard to make an official alliance in this election to take on Banerjee but surprisingly, they have no common minimum programme to offer as an alternative to the ruling TMC. Neither they have it in them to escalate issues like Saradha and Narada to corner Banerjee ahead of the elections.

Leave aside the old, even the Young Turks in the Opposition are busy giving media bytes

The CPI(M) is a party with too many old man who perhaps find it too difficult now to mobilise the anto-Mamata sentiments on the roads. But what about their 'Young Turks'? The party has fielded a number of youngsters in this election but even those faces are just happy telling the media that the "Trinamool is a party of thieves".

In the late 1980s, the Oppositition had cornered Rajiv Gandhi in
Bofors scam

If this is the state of the Opposition in Bengal, it's not surprising that the ruling party is feeling safe and confident. To draw a comparison, when the government of the late Rajiv Gandhi found itself in trouble in connection to the Bofors scam in the late 1980s, the Opposition played around V P Singh to mobilise the sentiments against the tainted government and the results in the next general elections reflected on it.

From a 400+ strength, the Congress was reduced to less than 200 seats in the Lok Sabha, thanks to the strong impact of the slogan "Gali gali mein shor hain, Rajiv Gandhi chor hain". Today, the anti-Mamata forces in Bengal lacks the face and the intensity to tap the anger and embarrassment the people of the state.

Just saying the ruling party has taken bribe in the media isn't enough to topple Mamata Banerjee, who is still the only leader with a mass base, in Bengal. More is needed to accomplish the difficult task. But the Opposition seems to be not okay with the heat outside the AC studio.