West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee an election campaign rally for the Assembly polls, at Jotram in Bardhaman district on April 9, 2021.
Highlights
- The Trinamool supremo has emerged as the Opposition’s pivot against the BJP
- Didi is projecting herself as 'main leader of Opposition and possible PM candidate for 2024
- She has been in a constant tussle with the BJP over various issues
May 2, 2021 - Day when West Bengal assembly election results were declared. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) had swept the assembly polls with 213 of the 292 seats, while the main rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bagged 77 seats. The 'Khela' did happen for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. It was one woman against a battalion of top leaders, well literally.
Mamata Banerjee and the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre have always shared a sweet-and-sour (more of a sour) equation. While the CM has always accused the Centre of step-motherly treatment with her state, the Narendra Modi government has complained of Mamata Banerjee's stubborn activist-like attitude in dealing with things.
Bengal Elections
West Bengal assembly elections appeared as a battle of ego rather than a contest on the agendas like development, employment, violence etc. While a wheelchair-bound Mamata Banerjee left no stone unturned in campaigning, the BJP made sure all its stalwart leaders toured the state, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The elections just did not witness a mere war-of-words between the leaders but also violent clashes between the two parties leading to several deaths in poll-related violence.
However, BJP's election-winning machinery, which looked unstoppable with many of CM's aides under its umbrella, couldn't stop the force, called Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal. TMC bagged almost double the seats than the BJP despite Mamata losing few of her trusted lieutenants, such as Suvendu Adhikari, to BJP ahead of elections.
Her constant tussle with the BJP over various issues ranging - allocation of Covid vaccination doses, getting central funds over cyclone etc kept the newswriters busy through the year.
Mamata eyes 2024
Mamata has been a fierce detractor of the BJP, since the beginning. The Trinamool supremo has emerged as the Opposition’s pivot against the BJP at the national level too. Her recent visits to the national capital and giving out a 'united Opposition' call only proves that she is projecting herself as the 'main leader of Opposition and a possible Prime Ministerial candidate for elections 2024.'
A comfortable victory in the Bhabanipur Assembly bypoll has made her to foray into Goa politics where she aims to make TMC an option ahead of a diminishing Congress against the BJP and Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party. With a motto - to stop the BJP at any cost - Mamata has made sure that she isn't going to let anyone win a battle, without a tough fight.
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In order to do that, Didi understands the importance of strengthening organisation at the grass-root level. A requirement which the saffron party meets and wears it on its sleeves. As a part of the party strengthening exercise, the CM has roped in a number of high-profile leaders in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, and other northeastern states.
KMC poll results reaffirms Mamata's strength
The recently-concluded Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections in which the Trinamool emerged as a winner only highlights that the party is just stoppable and so is its boss - Mamata Banerjee. The TMC won a whopping 134 of 144 wards.
Will Mamata emerge as the face of a united Opposition in 2024? Will her go-getter attitude stop NDA-led BJP to come to power in 2024? Only time will say but it's certain that she will do her best to make an intense battle.
