31 years ago, Mamata Banerjee was thrown out of the Writers Building. For the first time since then, Mamata Banerjee must be finding herself surrounded by problems. At that time, Mamata Banerjee had taken the lead and defeated her political opponents with her own moves – does Mamata Banerjee still have that charisma left?
Doctors in West Bengal went on strike over the Kolkata rape-murder case, but returned to work after the Supreme Court assured them. There was a lot of chaos during the Nabanna protest, and Mamata Banerjee is not ready to bow down to any pressure.
Challenging her political opponents, especially the BJP, Mamata Banerjee has said, ‘If you burn Bengal, then Assam, Northeast, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha… and Delhi will also burn.’
By Delhi, Mamata Banerjee definitely means the central government, and the rest of the states she has named are ruled by the BJP. When leaders like Himanta Biswa Sarma retaliated, Mamata Banerjee had to give clarifications,
Mamata Banerjee says that whatever she has said is only against the BJP. She says, I spoke against them because with the support of the central government, they are endangering our democracy… and are trying to create anarchy.
Mamata Banerjee says for the doctors, I want to make it clear that I have not spoken a single word against the students or their movement… I fully support their movement… Their movement is genuine… I have never threatened them, as some people are accusing me of… This allegation is completely rubbish.
Since becoming the Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee has retained her position, but has had to face many ups and downs. She has faced rejection from the leaders of the opposition camp and also faced threats from fellow leaders, but after winning Bengal with one leg in the worst of conditions, she is not only knocking on the doors of Delhi with two legs, but has also maintained her dominance.
Strength No. 1 – Being a woman, or the only woman CM
Mamata Banerjee is currently the only woman Chief Minister in the country. Trinamool Congress has also formed a strong team of women – and this team of Trinamool Congress under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee is fighting political opponents at every step.
All other things are in their place, but the big question is whether whatever is happening in West Bengal at present has had any effect on the image of the Trinamool Congress leader or not?
Many such questions were asked about Mamata Banerjee in India Today’s Political Stock Exchange (PSE). Apart from BJP supporters, these questions were also asked to INDIA Block and TMC supporters. Some answers are very interesting, but some are surprising too.
64 percent of BJP supporters believe that Mamata Banerjee’s image has been tarnished a lot due to the Kolkata rape-murder case, but the surprising thing is that 40 percent of TMC supporters also agree with this – and 61 percent of INDIA Block supporters also believe the same. Yes, there are 19 percent TMC supporters who believe that this case will not have any effect on Mamata Banerjee’s image.
When PSE tried to find out who people consider most guilty in the rape-murder case, 39% of TMC supporters and 49% of India Block supporters blamed the hospital management, while 33% of BJP supporters believed so.
The surprising thing is that 21% of BJP supporters consider the arrested accused guilty, but 41% are blaming the West Bengal government. However, among TMC supporters too, there are 11% people who consider Mamata Banerjee’s government responsible – could these people be supporters of Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, because Abhishek Banerjee seems to be away from the whole matter and there have been reports of deep differences between him and Mamata Banerjee on this matter.
Mamata Banerjee has also justified the doctors’ strike, and 31 percent of TMC supporters also think in the same way as their leader. The number of BJP supporters is higher in this matter, 61 percent. But 29 percent of BJP supporters have admitted that the doctors’ strike has not affected health services.
Strength No. 2- Keep proving your strength against BJP again and again
After defeating the Left Front and gaining power in 2011, the first thing Mamata Banerjee did was to make West Bengal Congress-free, and in this campaign she seems to be more successful than the BJP – but before 2019, Mamata Banerjee did not even realize that the BJP could enter Bengal and challenge her power.
Certainly, in the 2019 general elections, BJP had snatched 18 seats, but five years later in 2024, Mamata Banerjee increased the number of her MPs and reduced BJP to 12 seats. And it cannot be said directly that BJP lagged behind badly in UP too, because unlike UP, Mamata Banerjee did not form an alliance with any political party of the India Block.
And the biggest example was seen in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections when Mamata Banerjee, despite losing a powerful ally like Shubhendu Adhikari and losing the election to him, formed the Trinamool Congress government on the strength of her charisma – and has remained in the field till now.
BJP is looking as aggressive on the Kolkata rape-murder case as it was on the elections, but the problem is that Mamata Banerjee is stuck in such a case when she is left alone to a large extent.
Strength No. 3 – Coming on the road, being aggressive
Earlier and during the 2021 elections, Mamata Banerjee kept repeating that she is a street fighter. This thing is still visible in her struggle. Instead of getting upset by the protests of the people regarding the rape-murder case, Mamata Banerjee herself has come on the road, and has brought almost the entire party out.
Mamata Banerjee has taken the lead along with the women leaders and workers of Trinamool Congress and is protesting against the protests happening against her by taking to the streets. Only a street fighter can do this.
Strength No. 4 – Successfully proving all opposition to be political
Mamata Banerjee has her own style of struggle and protest. It is very rare that she is serious about the allegations against her fellow leaders. Whoever stands with her, she stands with him at all costs even after serious allegations are made against him.
Starting from the former police commissioner of Kolkata to the Sandeshkhali case, a similar attitude has been observed – leaders like Partha Ghosh are of course exceptions.
Strength No. 5- Speculation of BJP being part of Plan-B at the Centre
There seems to be enough reason for the central government to take action against the Bengal government, but so far nothing has been seen which suggests that any major action is going to be taken against West Bengal.
President Draupadi Murmu has also expressed concern over the situation in West Bengal. West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose has already submitted his report – and the entire country is watching the protests in Bengal live on TV.
Mamata Banerjee is also saying about the BJP government at the center, ‘With the support of the Government of India, they are endangering democracy in our state… and trying to create anarchy.’
Yet if the central government is not dismissing the government in West Bengal and imposing President’s rule, then what and how should it be understood? Has Mamata Banerjee also made a place in that orbit from where she can become a support system in case Nitish Kumar or Chandrababu Naidu moves here and there! There are no permanent enemies in politics. Who knows when one has to make someone a friend.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)