The genesis of Left Front is responsible for this phenomenal success. The Left Front is not an opportunistic coalition. Leftists have the heritage of struggles for independence and after independence, through the process of uninterrupted struggles against imperialism and the oppressions of the ruling class unity among lefts had emerged. The present Left Front has come out of the massive struggles of the working class, peasants, students, youths and movements of the democratic people. In West Bengal, through their experience of struggles, the people have perceived the Left Front as the real alternative to the bourgeois-landlord rule.

With the limited power and scope, the Left Front Government, soon after assuming office in 1977, to fulfil the aspirations of the people, took several pro-people measures, notable amongst them being land reform, decentralisation of power to the elected bodies through panchyat upto the village level and municipalities, free education upto Class XII etc.

The fundamental difference between the Left Front Government and any other government be at the Centre or the State, ruled by the bourgeois parties has been its role vis-à-vis working class. It has been working as the facilitator of the working class movement in the State rather than becoming a patron of the vested interests in the industry. A review of the working class movement in West Bengal during this period indicates that:

• Not a single trade union movement has been has been suppressed by the Government. This has encouraged the working class to be organised and participate in struggles. This in turn has developed their consciousness at a higher level. This is needed today to understand the real nature of attack they are facing from the policy of globalisation and liberalisation pursued by the Government of India.
• Government took active role to resolve many major industrial disputes through tripartite machinery.
• The system of industrywise tripartite agreement for engineering, jute, cottons, and tea industries have been in vogue in West Bengal for over two decades. This system of tripartite settlement has enabled the industries to avoid dispute over wages etc., leading to generally good industrial relations.
• The Government has always taken initiative for revamping the sick CPSUs within the State, which have been referred to BIFR. Though the Central Government has been keen to close these units, frequent intervention from the State Government played a supplementary role to the struggles of the working class against the move of the Central Government and helped the working class to stall the process giving some breathing space to the workers.
• The State Government is implementing the legislation on Recognition of Trade Unions through secret ballot of the workers.
• Amendment of payment of Gratuity Act amending the definition of "employee", "continuous service", "eligibility condition" and making the Act applicable in all establishments employing 10 or more employees.
• Amendment of various provision of Industrial Disputes Act. Special mention may be made about amendment of provision of permission for lay off, retrenchment and closure, which provides that before seeking permission for closure/retrenchment, the employer is to submit bank guarantee about the payment of statutory dues of the workmen.
• Amendment of State House Rent Allowance Act, which provides 5%, House Rent Allowance on total wages to workers, engaged in industrial units employing 20 or more.
• No sick State Government Undertaking has been closed or referred to BIFR. On the other hand, despite limited financial resource, the State Government is extending budgetary support to revive the sick units. With the co-operation of the workers, some of the chronically sick units have been made viable and even profit earning through this process.
• There is fundamental difference in the industrial policy of the State Government from that of the Central Government. There has been due recognition of the role and rights of the working class.
• The State Government has started a relief scheme for the workers of closed industries. Now the workers of closed industries (Except CPSUs) are getting a relief of Rs. 500.00p per month per head as relief from the Government.

In the present scenario of the country, the Left Front Government in the State is a watershed. Within the bourgeois-landlord framework, where most of the constitutional power has been concentrated at the Centre, a state government can hardly do anything except giving some temporary relief to the people. The Left Front Government has tried its best to do the same.

The working class today, is fighting against the policy of globalisation and liberalisation, pursued by the Government of India since 1991. The Left Front Government moved an all-party resolution against the draconian GATT Accord, which would destroy the indigenous pharmaceutical and agri-chemical industry. Although there has been uninterrupted deprivation by the Centre on West Bengal in regard to industrialisation over the last 30 years, the State Government never resorted to any shallow populist stand and has been trying to provide employment within its limited means.

The working class of this State realises that the Left Front Government is the result of class struggle and it must be protected against all odds for the furtherance of class struggle. It goes to credit of the working class that secessionism or communalism or casteism has not found much response in this state. The long tradition of social and democratic movement of Bengal is manifested in the matured working class movement of the State. In their interest they need to be united and secular. They have seen Left Front Government as a defender of secularism and national integration.