Mamata Banerjee’s populist stances recall those of Laloo Prasad Yadav’s initial years after he came to power in Bihar (Who Calls the Shots?, Jan 16). Gaining power via popular mandate and running a government are two different ballgames. While she has mastered the first with populist means such as slogans, protests and dharnas, she lacks the acumen and tact needed for the second. She needs to delegate more powers and freedom to her ministers and give up her authoritarian attitude. Instead of getting into frivolous controversies, she should concentrate on tasks that will help build the new Bengal she has promised.
Sreemoy Ghose, Jamshedpur
How did you get Mamata to pose for your cover? You should send a copy to her and all the puppets.
Suresh Deolalkar, on e-mail
Some years ago, a Bollywood star, when asked about the state of his marriage, reputed to be on the rocks, said it continued but the current had gone out of it. Honeymoon’s up.
Ashok Lal, Mumbai
The stormy petrel of Bengal politics has always been a difficult ally. The NDA found that to its cost when Mamata was in the Vajpayee government at the Centre and the Congress has had a taste of Mamata’s ire many a time. Both on FDI in retail and on the Lokpal issue, her tough stands were not without logic or reason. She was playing to, and whetting, her people’s keenness for power by making the Centre look like a supplicant. As for renaming Indira Bhavan as Nazrul Bhavan, the bard might have rephrased his immortal line—What’s in a name—were he to witness Indian politics.
J. Akshay, Bangalore
The only problem with Mamata is that she is Mamata. Her opposition is herself. In four years’ time, she will go to the polls saying she could not perform because the Centre did not give her money. She will probably rename Writers Building as well. But whoever wins the next polls, the losers will be people of Bengal.
A.N. Banerjee, Newcastle, UK
Mamata came to the frontlines using agitations/protests as a means of securing a niche in politics. Over the years, she has perfected the art of getting what she wants through negativist tactics, whether right or wrong. One wonders, though, if the same methods will help her succeed as a chief minister.
Durai Lakshmi, Gurgaon
Mamata might be able to get what she wants from the Centre at this stage. But over the long term, being seen to be as whimsical and unreliable as Jayalalitha will be a liability.
K.V. Raghuram, Wayanad
The Congress leadership may not relish Mamata’s recent oppositional stance, verbal outbursts and filibustering but she has earned this leeway for wilful action. After all, she has single-handedly achieved what was considered non-achievable in Bengal and hence commands every right to take decisions as per her wisdom—whether or not liked by her parent ally, the Congress. Mamata’s plan to spread her party’s wings to other states is a welcome move and she must take further steps towards it.
Pramod Srivastava, New Delhi
Mamata Banerjee, like her counterparts in UP and Tamil Nadu, is whimsical, arrogant, self-willed and unpredictable. Any party joining hands with her, or Maya or Jaya, knows it would be doing so at its own peril. It would be prudent for the upa-ii to amputate the limb with the festering sore before it turns gangrenous.
K.P. Rajan, Mumbai
Almost all the lady CMs in India are arrogant by nature, it seems. And the inept governance of the Congress only adds fuel to their egos.
Somasundaram, Chennai
It was a given that the real face of the tmc would be revealed to the masses, but that it would be so early was unexpected. The people of West Bengal will have to pay a very heavy price for the misdeeds of the Left government, which the tmc has very shrewdly cashed in on.
S. Mukhopadhyay, Calcutta
Looks like the Bengalis got rid of a noisy drum only to get a harsh trumpet.
Achutha Bhat, Bangalore
Mamata made a hash of the railways. She is all set to do the same to West Bengal.
Hriday, London
West Bengal is unlikely to make any progress under Mamata. The people of West Bengal were desperate to get over the era of Left misrule. Mamata just happened to be around.
Samirajan, Portland, US
From your lead picture, it would seem Mamata and Pranabda are having an argument in Bangla and Manmohan can’t understand a word. But then again, the PM plays deaf and mute when it suits him. P.
B. Joshipura, Suffolk, US