Kolkata: He can easily be missed at the adda (rendezvous) at Kolkata's famed Coffee House. The man, Azizul Haq, was once a prominent face of Bengal's Naxalite movement of the '60s.
And he believes Left is the best choice for West Bengal. Simply because, he thinks 'any Left is better than no Left at all'.
On the eve of the fifth and last phase of Assembly elections in the state, Azizul Haq's comments are good news for the Left.
For, North Bengal's Naxalbari -- which caught the imagination of a whole new young generation in the 1960s -- still symbolises the undaunting Bengali spirit.
It is another matter though for many of the present generation, Kolkata's College Street has lost much of its legendary revolutionary fervour. That's perhaps because after three decades of Left rule, revolution isn't such an attractive word any more.
And Left was the force that had filled the void in Bengal's political space immediately after the exit of the Naxalites.
On his part, Haq is very clear about his political choice. "There is no alternative to the Left in Bengal," he says.
In a state turning its back to revolution to embrace the opportunities of capitalism, Haq cuts a lonely figure despite the fact that he, like many others of his ilk, gave up his youth to follow a dream.
But, the fire hasn't died out for this legendary revolutionary yet. For him, the source of political power still lies in the barrel of the gun.
"I still believe in this," he insists.
And any mention of revolution still has a stirring effect on him. "Revolution is a simultaneous act of intense hatred and of intense love," he romances.
On today's Naxalites, Haq says they lack popular support like his band of brothers did when they had called for an armed revolution.
"If they had popular support, people wouldn't have come out and voted," he observes.
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