Left Debacle in West Bengal

It was more or less a foregone conclusion that popular mandate in assembly election would go against the Left and 34-yr Left rule would come to an end. But it is difficult to believe that it ends so miserably.Of course,exit poll conducted by majority of electronic channels foretold such a deplorable exit of the Left from power.What's most pathetic is fall of big guns including 19 ministers, many of whom perhaps have not tasted defeat ever before in their long political career.However, the 'most unkindest cut' of all is the defeat of the chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee who had been working hard to refurbish the image of the Left front since the Left's debacle in Lok Sabha polls.No less pathetic is the loss of face of Housing minister Goutam Dev who was projected as the face of the Left front in its desperate bid to turn around.Political experts would explain this phenomenal fall of the Left.In just five years election results have gone other way round.However, admittedly, periodical swapping of power is really good and healthy for a democratic system.
Now the Left would act as opposition in assembly.But this opposition is unfortunately denuded of vociferous and expert politicians who've sustained defeat en masse in polls.So it's very likely assembly would fail to have a very effective opposition which's otherwise very constructive but would be highly critical of the anti- people policy of the govt when needed.Secondly,Left front has been in power for long and remained united.Could it remain equally united when not in power?It remains to be seen.