KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee shifted out of her old stand (I’ll not leave Bengal) and gave clear hints that “if people want, I am ready to head a Government in Delhi.’’
She incidentally repeated her pledge as she released somewhat old list with 20 percent new faces from Bengali Cinema World at her Kalighat residence for 42 LS seats where she met journalists after a gap of two- and a-half-year again.
As Election Commission announced the poll schedules from April, though Bengal parties caught a little late in clearing their list of candidates, including Left, Mamata Banerjee chose the occasion to declare herself as a willing candidate for the prime minister’s post.
Though all came out with their lists, the majors, including the CPI(M)-led Left Front, TMC insiders believe their leader Mamata has actually triggered a political missile that would eventually over shadow others.
But till now though the announcement caused much less sensation than expected, for strange reasons.
“Everyone knew it, that an ambitious politician like her, would aim at the highest,’’ summed up a political commentator, adding, “there was no room for sensation despite her timing it with election announcement.’’
Banerjee, who was expected (like she is used to) to take out the dissenting faces from the list, but she didn’t much to everyone’s surprise!
“That would have left with more dissent and that would have seen her rivals swelling their ranks with former TMC men, like the Congress and BJP. She wouldn’t take the risk,’’ said a former party leader.
However, she reiterated her attacks on the Congress, BJP and CPI(M) whom she branded as “friends… We have recently seen what happened with the Telengana bill how BJP and Congress worked together.’’
In the early morning hours today, quoting from an agency interview, a Prasar Bharati News channel said: “Mamata Banerjee dismissed both Congress and BJP and Third Front as non-viable, people are disgusted with Congress’ dynasty rule and corruption and BJP’s communal heat while Third Front is a Tired Front….And I have no problem with prime minister’s job if people want me there….’’
“We’ve also done our job well, and give TMC a tough fight and we are not afraid of her trying to become a PM,’’ said a senior CPI(M) leader.
“Why she is bad mouthing us for becoming dynastic?’’ Asked a Congress leader who felt, it “is democratic.’’

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