The tigress roars!

I must explain what Martyrs Day is for the uninitiated. Didi was youth Congress leader when thirteen of its cadres were shot dead during a protest rally in 1993, during the Left Front regime. Mamata  Banerjee left Congress in 1998 and formed Trinamool Congress. She snatched away the Martyrs day protest bouquet with her, none remaining in the State Congress to carry on the protests. Over the years, the martyrs day rallies have drawn millions of her supporters. Didi has deftly utilised the rally to convey political statements with an assembly of political leaders, artists and sympathisers.

Like in the last year, today’s rally was virtual due to Covid, but for which Mamata Banerjee would have pulled all the mighty and tall opposition leaders to Kolkata Maidan in the presence of a million or more crowd. Nonetheless, she lost no opportunity in making ‘Oust BJP’ her core theme. She slammed the Modi government over fuel prices, Pegasus phone tapping and Covid mismanagement.

Banerjee also urged the opposition to join hands to overthrow BJP in 2024, which she claimed to be worse than the Covid virus. The Central government’s tactics of unleashing their agencies came under flak. “The money earned from high fuel prices go for spying your and my phones,” she quipped. Mamata sought that the Supreme Court take a suo moto notice of the spying and form a Special Investigative Team to investigate the matter.

Banerjee recalled the famous West Bengal poll phrase, ‘Khela Hobe,’ – loosely meaning,’ the game will be played.’ for 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The opposition must unite to safeguard the federal structure of the country, Mamata added.

Unlike other years, giant screens were installed in many places in West Bengal, with euphoric supporters crying in joy. Live streaming was also made in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Mamata addressed in Bengali but also revealed her pan-India positioning with liberal doses of Hindi and English. She was heard in rapt attention by many leaders in the Constitution Club of India, including Sharad Pawar, Jaya Bachchan, Dig Vijay Singh, P. Chidambaram and leaders from the Aam Admi Party. She intends to visit Delhi between July 27 and 29 to meet the opposition leaders and discuss the 2024 elections.

Mamata portrayed the free rationing system and other sops and subsidies that her government provides to the weaker sections in West Bengal. ‘Our front can offer free rations to the entire country,’ she claimed. Taking a dig at PM Modi’s Mann ki Baat, she advised him to show in work instead.

After defeating the BJP in West Bengal, Mamata’s planetary positions are exalted. The Congress party is in disarray, the left non-existent, the southern leaders uninterested in Delhi, Pawar is too old, which leaves Mamata a free run as the prime opposition face. But, 2024 is a bit far away, and her overtures may be a bit hasty. If anything can derail her plans, it could result from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in early 2022. A winning Yogi will be the brake-disc in the Mamata led opposition juggernaut.

In times of dull politics, despite the parliament in session, scenarios such as this will keep the public engaged. I know many must be wondering why I have not commented anything about Mamata’s chances of becoming the Prime Minister of India. One cannot expect Prashant Kishor to be paid, and I do the donkey job!

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix