United Left Front (1967)

The United Left Front (ULF) was a coalition of political parties in the Indian state of West Bengal that came to power in the 1967 Legislative Assembly election. This marked a significant shift in West Bengal's political landscape, breaking the Indian National Congress's long-standing dominance in the state.

The ULF was formed by a diverse range of left-leaning parties, including:

• The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)): The dominant force within the front.
• The Communist Party of India (CPI).
• The Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP).
• The Forward Bloc.
• The Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI).

The coalition's platform generally focused on land reform, improved labor rights, and social justice.

The ULF government, led by Chief Minister Ajoy Mukherjee (from the Bangla Congress, which was not formally part of the ULF but allied with it), was short-lived. Internal contradictions and disagreements within the coalition, particularly between the CPI(M) and other constituent parties, led to its collapse in November 1967. The government was dismissed, and President's Rule was imposed on West Bengal.

Despite its brief tenure, the United Left Front government of 1967 is significant in Indian political history. It demonstrated the potential for left-wing alliances to challenge the Congress party's hegemony and paved the way for the formation of the more durable Left Front government in West Bengal in 1977, which would govern the state for over three decades. The ULF's policies, even in their limited implementation, left a lasting impact on the state's socio-political dynamics and contributed to the growth of left-wing politics in India.