'No alternative in West Bengal'

Dubai:  In West Bengal it is the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) which swept the state assembly with 235 seats. A reversal of fortune was also seen in Tamil Nadu where the party led by M. Karunanidhi, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), bagged 162 seats defeating Jayalalitha and her All Indian Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party which managed to get 70 seats.

Expats from both states reacted to the poll outcome.

Biswadeb Majumdar, who works in the commercial and logistic section at a Dubai-based company, said that he is disappointed by the results in West Bengal. "It is very sad. I am not happy with the results. This is because it is the same old government in West Bengal. They are the very people who could not do anything for the last 30 years. How can we expect them to do anything magical this term. I always thought that Bengalis are intelligent people, how did they give such a verdict," he said.

Ashish Bhaumik, a Dubai-based businessman, said the people of West Bengal did not have an alternative to Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M): "The perception in Bengal is that a lot of people will not vote for the Left, but will vote for the Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya. He is instrumental in getting industrialisation to the state and hence this year we get to see the urban voters going for the CPI-M."

S. Dasgupta, a banker, who is visiting the country from Kolkata, said he was disappointed with the results. "The Communists have been ruling the state for the last 30 years. We haven't seen a drastic change in West Bengal. I want change, I want to see another party come to power in West Bengal

"I feel the Communists have become too comfortable and are not addressing the real issues. There is so much poverty and unemployment."

Vasudevan Ramesh, a Dubai-based technician, said: "I am glad that the AIADMK lost the elections this time. Jayalalitha is the only reason why the party lost. People now are more tuned to what is happening in the state. They are no more taken up by the theatrical show put up by the AIADMK leaders during election time."