May 6, 2011
Trinamool Chairperson crosses political barriers, spreads message of friendship
Kolkata, Oct. 5: All-India Trinamul Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee`s choice of recipients is all-encompassing this time. Left Front MLAs have also received Mamata`s card wishing “Sharidiya Deepavalir Shubhechchha (greetings for Durga Puja and Diwali) this year, a gesture her party described as the chief minister and Trinamul chief’s `political courtesy` and `sea change` since coming to power.
The card, which features one of Ms. Banerjee`s paintings of Durga complete with kashphul and kath golap, has been sent to all MLAs and people from several other walks of life such as academicians, bureaucrats, industrialists, heads of clubs, celebrities and journalists. Last year, a group of 2,000 people — Trinamul MPs, MLAs and councillors, industrialists, officials of chambers of commerce, consulate representatives, bureaucrats, celebrities and journalists — had got the cards.
The choice of Tagore`s poetry in the two cards mirrors Ms. Banerjee`s journey from Opposition leader to not only Bengal`s political head but also the most prominent spokesperson of `Ma, Mati, Manush`. The 2011 card quotes the first two lines of `Banglar mati, Banglar jal, punno houk, punno houk (Bengal`s land, Bengal`s water, let them be blessed, let them be blessed`. Last year, the Tagore poem quoted was `Anandalokey mangalalokey birajo satya sundaro (in the light of happiness and wellbeing lies the beauty of truth`.
The Trinamool General Secretary said Ms. Banerjee had undergone a `sea change` after becoming chief minister. `Paribartan in Bengal after the Assembly polls has brought a sea change in Mamatadi. Unlike Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, she has proved that she is the chief minister for everybody in Bengal, not just those owing allegiance to Trinamul,` the leader said.
He recounted how in her maiden speech in the Assembly as chief minister, Mamata had urged the Speaker to allot more time to the Opposition to voice their opinions.
The `change` is also manifest in the card’s design. If last year`s cover showed Durga as aiming a trident at an adversary, not visible on the card, this year’s card has a blue sky with harmless white clouds in the background.
Around 3,000 cards had been distributed this year. Perhaps in keeping with her penchant for text messages, where shortcuts are useful, Ms. Banerjee has mentioned the year as 2k11. Last year too, she had written 2k10.
