Kolkata: The civic polls in Howrah and Jhargram in West Midnapore district, besides Berhampore and Krishnanagar slated for November 30, is being viewed as a trial of strength for political parties in Left-ruled West Bengal before the coming Lok Sabha polls.

The polls will be an acid test for the Opposition, for it is going to be the first election after the withdrawal of Tata Motors from Singur.

The results will indicate how the urban voters feel about this or they hold the opposition responsible for the failure of the Singur project. If the Opposition does well, it will give them a huge boost to face the Lok Sabha polls.

A debacle however, would give tremendous boost to CPI(M), on the backfoot after the conviction of party heavyweight in Singur, Suhrid Dutta in the Tapasi Malik murder case and following the on-going tribal agitation against police excesses in Jhargram.

Stalwarts like External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee and the West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee have already addressed meetings to win votes.

While Congress and Trinamool Congress have fielded candidates against each other, 20 of the 50 wards under the Howrah Municipal Corporation have thrown up an informal alliance against the CPI(M).
Source : PTI