The sigh of relief is almost palpable. A people, weary of bandhs and girding their loins to defy another today, could not have been given a better present for the winter festive season than the announcement last evening that the bandh would not take place. The rhetorical flourish, which announced that the bandh was not withdrawn but held in abeyance can be forgiven as a not-too-clever face-saver. But only a complete nincompoop will believe that Ms Mamata Banerjee has taken this step out of her concern for the Christians and their worship during the period of Advent. The decision is grounded in harsh political realities. The most critical part of this reality is the almost last-minute acceptance that by calling another bandh — this time for 48 hours — she was further alienating herself and her party from the people of West Bengal. Even some of her loyal supporters felt that the bandh call was totally unwarranted and self-defeating. More generally, there was a widespread anger at the threat of two more working days being lost. Even Ms Banerjee could not remain cocooned from this groundswell of popular resentment to her senseless bandh call. The fact that the bandh is not taking place is a sure sign that Ms Banerjee’s movement, and the cause that it is trying to uphold, is swiftly losing the modicum of support that it enjoyed among her fans. What must also be causing her concern is the manner in which her movement is being hijacked by self-styled Maoists and others of the political loony fringe. Ms Banerjee, perhaps for the first time in her career, is in a political cul de sac.

To many this predicament of Ms Banerjee will not come as a surprise since she has been tilting at an unbeatable project: the economic development of West Bengal. It is unbeatable because it embodies the hopes of the people of the state. It is this hope that has made the citizens of West Bengal angry at the culture of bandhs. Political parties need to heed the hope and the anger. The next bandh — if it ever happens — may not find a population that is acquiescent out of fear. The people of West Bengal have won their first battle against rampant political irresponsibility. It is their defiance, and not the bandh, that is held in abeyance.