Kohli-Williams Debate And The Decline Of The Left In West Bengal

Kohli gives emphasis to independent political variables and provides autonomous significance to political structures and processes.  He believes in ‘state-in-society’ approach.  In contrast with Kohli (1990), Glyn Williams (2001) regards that Kohli overemphasizes the political variables and the role of political parties and leadership in producing coherent rule, integrated domination, and social legitimization altogether.  By emphasizing on the role of political organization Kohli disregards the role of political discourse and local political practice. The Left leaders were effective in engaging themselves with the everyday life processes of the rural people producing a politics of attachment through an organizational grid that has had skill and efficiency to keep attached at the local level. This type of leadership and organization promoted the Left and TMC failed to grasp. As a government the Left used ‘non-hegemonic conquest’ model to win electoral battles. The ‘hegemonic’ model was lapsed; hence, the Left as movement got a declining slope.