If the voting pattern in the recent held Lok Sabha elections is translated in the next Assembly elections in Bengal, the result could be disastrous for the sitting ministers of the Left Front government in the state.

As many as 27 ministers would lose, as per the votes polled in each of the Assembly segments.

The ministers in whose constituencies the opposition parties have polled more votes then their Left Front candidates include Agriculture Minister Naren De, Minority Affairs Minister Abdus Sattar, Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta, Animal Resource Minister Anisur Rahman and Public Works Department minister Kshiti Goswami. (see box)

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, however, could heave a sigh a relief as his own Jadavpur Assembly seat voted for the CPM candidate.

The ministers, however, say that this polling should not be taken as an indication of the way the votes might swing in the 2011 Assembly elections. “One of the reasons why Left Front did so badly in my area is because of delimitation. My constituency does not even exist anymore,” said Goutam Deb, Minister for Housing and Public Health Engineering.

Both Goswami and Disaster Management Minister Mortaza Hussain blamed delimitation for the dismal performances of their party. “Seven of my Assembly segments have gone to other constituencies and the ones that were added in their place were regions where the Left Front was never strong. It was not possible to work among the people in such a short time,” claimed Hussain.

... contd.