The leftists did extend such support earlier to their like-minded governments and some of them like the CPI also directly participated in the government but never before their ascendancy could so enormously be felt as much as now. The leftists have captured 62 seats this time in the 543-member Lokshaba, which is the highest so far and are uniquely placed to considerably influence the fate of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) which has taken over from the rainbow coalition of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). But the relationship of the leftists with the Congress and the allies has not been a sudden or unexpected development since it was a forgone conclusion even before the polls that the leftists would support a secular government in place of the NDA which they saw as communal and not serving the cause of the people.

West Bengal is the citadel of the Indian leftists and they have succeeded in maintaining their rule in the state for an uninterrupted twenty-six years, something unprecedented in the present day world where communists have retained power through democratically elected government. Their performance in the voting is simply amazing since it is taking place at a time when international communist movement faces a critical time following the collapse of socialist giant Soviet Union. Besides, in India too no other party government in recent times could maintain such a strong grip on power. Two other Indian states -- southern Kerala and tiny north-eastern Tripura are also strongholds of the leftists but they are less important compared to West Bengal because of manifold reasons. West Bengal has 42 seats in the federal parliament compared to 20 of Kerala and only two of Tripura. Furthermore, rule changed hands in those states unlike West Bengal during the last quarter of a century.

The ruling Left front in the state which had 29 of the 42 seats in the last Lokshaba, this time further increased its tally by taking the figure to 35.The progress was at the cost of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and it ally Trinamul Congress headed by Mamta Banerjee. The BJP, which had two seats, this time has drawn a blank while the Trinamul fared no better as its strength reduced to an alarmingly single seat from eight before. The Congress increased its number to six from three and this is a good showing given the fact that the party is not a force to reckon with here for many years although once it was the dominant force. The stake of the BJP is also not big in West Bengal as it has always a scant presence but the biggest casualty is certainly the Trinamul which is restricted in this state only and used to be seen as a potential threat to the leftists. Its leader Mamta Banerjee, who caused a storm in the state's politics a few years ago by breaking away from the main Congress, has also lost her earlier image since the elections have weakened her party substantially and also her personally.

Mamta managed to win the only seat for the Trinamul from Kolkata but with a much reduced margin and lost two others in the state capital, which was earlier a bastion for the organisation. The results have sent shock waves through the party and uncertainty hangs over the Trinamul while the leadership of Mamta Banerjee is also coming into questions. Many feel she was the architect of the emergence and rise of the Trinamul and sadly, she is also responsible for its sordid state today. She claims to be secular but forged alliance with the BJP, widely seen as communal, and this cost the party the sympathy of the minorities, which was enjoyed by the Leftfront as well as the Congress.

Besides, Mamta was also considered as "opportunist" despite admired for her simple life and oratory, because she quit federal NDA ministership and formed alliance with the Congress before the last state assembly polls in West Bengal, as she was keen to become chief minister! The alliance miserably lost to leftists and Mamta only after a long wait again became federal minister with a less important portfolio. This has tarnished her image. The recent polls have thrown her into a kind of political non-entity even though she may have the capacity to bounce back in the future.

The polls have made Congress a dominant national political force and leaders from West Bengal Pranab Mukherjee and Priya Ranjan Das Munshi emerged important as senior ministers. Mr. Somnath Chatterjee of the CPM, the dominant partner in the Leftfront, is set to become the Speaker of the new Lokshaba, first time a Bengalee.

Strangely, the Congress and the leftists are at loggerheads in the state politically even though they have come closer at the centre in the formation of the government. It remains to be seen how they manage their ties in the state and at the centre. It is expected that the ruling Leftfront would continue to face the opposition of the Congress in the state but the two would work closely at the centre -- albeit likely differences occasionally on certain issues since the leftists are not directly involved in the running of the Indian national government and do not see eye to eye particularly on economic issues with Congress. The outcome of the Indian polls has brought qualitative change in the political scenario but it will be interesting to watch how long the new situation exists.

Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury is a senior journalist