Although most of her politics is concentrated in West Bengal, Banerjee has served in the central government and was twice the railway minister of the country. Since 2011, Banerjee is the chief minister of West Bengal, running her third consecutive term as the CM
Mamata Banerjee in a political rally/File photo
- Banerjee got involved in politics at the young age of 15
- She was twice the railway minister of the country, first woman to take the position
- She is the first woman chief minister of West Bengal, running her third consecutive term
Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief and West Bengal’s chief minister Mamata Banerjee will be celebrating her 68th birthday on January 5. Famously also known as Didi and Bengal Tigress, Banerjee is renowned for her strong-willed, self-minded personality and fierce politics.
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Although most of her politics is concentrated in West Bengal, Banerjee has also served in the central government and was twice the railway minister of the country, first during the NDA government and then during the UPA government. Since 2011, Banerjee is the chief minister of West Bengal, running her third consecutive term as the Chief Minister. She is the first woman to hold the CM office in the state.
On the occasion of her birthday, we take a look at her unwavering political career.
Journey with Congress
Born on January 1955 in Kolkatta, Banerjee got involved in politics at the young age of 15. While studying at the Jogamaya Devi College, she formed the student wing of the Congress (I) Party, defeating the All India Democratic Students Organisation affiliated with the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist). She continued in the Congress (I) Party in West Bengal and served in a number of positions. She later worked with other local political organisations too.
Banerjee came to limelight in 1975 when she danced on politician Jayprakash Narayan’s car expressing her protest against him. Her political journey took off and she rose to positions within Congress party to become one of the youngest parliamentarians in 1984 general elections. Banerjee was appointed the Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development, Youth Affairs and Sports, and Women and Child Development in 1991.
Founding Trinamool Congress and alliance with NDA
In 1997, due to political differences with Congress in West Bengal, Banerjee exited the party and became the founding member of TMC. In 1999, she joined the BJP-led NDA alliance and became country’s first woman railway minister. In 2001, Banerjee walked out of the NDA cabinet and allied with the Congress Party for West Bengal's 2001 elections. However, Didi returned to the NDA in 2004.
Political setback
In 2004 general elections, her party allied with BJP and lost the elections. However, she was the only TMC leader in West Bengal to be elected as parliamentarian. Despite not being in power, she was politically active and in limelight. She joined several protests during this period including the protest against industrial development policy in West Bengal.
In November 2006, Banerjee started the famous Singur rally, protesting against the TATA motors car project. However, she was stopped on her way which led the TMC MLA’s react violently and Banerjee also went on 26-hour hunger strike.
In 2007, the Nandigram violence occurred where armed police stormed the area to quash the protest organized by TMC. TMC was protesting against government’s plan to expropriate 10,000 acres of Special Economic Zone land to be developed by a private company.
Return to UPA
Before 2009 general elections, Banerjee again allied with the UPA led by the Congress. The alliance won the elections and Didi joined the central cabinet as a railway minister for the second time. In 2011, Banerjee decided to return to her state, and became the first woman chief minister of West Bengal. The TMC in alliance with Congress won the state with a sweeping majority. Since, then this is her third term as the CM of West Bengal. In 2016 and despite BJP’s strong political campaign in 2021, TMC under Banerjee’s leadership won the state with landslide victory.
INDIA Alliance
Currently, Mamata Banerjee is part of the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance or INDIA alliance formed in July 2023 with a primary objective to defeat the ruling NDA led by BJP in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The alliance consists of 28 political parties and several political leaders have mentioned that the backronym INDIA was suggested by Banerjee.
All in all, Mamata Banerjee, as her fans call her Bengal Tigress has always been strong-willed and fierce in her decades long political journey. She is one of the strongest women political leaders not only within the country but in the world considering the unwavering support she has in West Bengal, and her strong-headed, fearless political voice.
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