India, April 14 -- The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are locked in a direct political fight ahead of the much-awaited, high-stakes elections in West Bengal. However, the role of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M))-led Left Front in the elections and in the state remains uncertain, especially regarding its electoral strength and its ability to act as a third force.

The party governed Bengal for 34 consecutive years (1977-2011) until the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC threw the CPI(M) out of power 15 years ago. Even though the Left Front, led by the party, has fielded more than 200 candidates for the coming elections, its voter base has reduced over time, a trend that was also visible in earlier electio...