Mamata Banerjee: The rise and fall of the gritty street fighter
In West Bengal, where rajpather rajneeti (street politics) marked by rallies and violent agitations, or desolate roads during general strikes (bandhs), steered the course of post-Independence governance – from the Congress to the Left Front in 1977 and then from the Communists to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 2011 – Mamata Banerjee stood out as a street fighter who led her folk from the front to defeat adversaries. The decisive rejection of Banerjee’s 15-year-old government has been largely fuelled by strong anti-incumbency. (PTI) West Bengal is set to vote in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party in power at the Centre, to rule the state – the first time in decades that the same party will be in power both in New Delhi and Kolkata. The decisive rejection of Banerjee’s 15-year-old government has been largely fuelled by strong anti-incumbency, allegations of rampant corruption and possibly the consolidation of the Hindu vote. Banerjee’s oft-repeated declaration, “I am the candidate from all seats,” was the hallmark of her electoral politics. 2026 was no exception. At 71, …
