She had never dreamt of being the Mayor of Siliguri Municipality. But 60-year-old Gangotri Dutta, a lawyer by profession and a former teacher at Jalpaiguri College, believed that some day she would be recognised for her work.

“I joined the legal profession in 1982 and since then I have always tried to render advice to the poor, as they cannot afford to hire a lawyer. Being a spinster, I have time and very few needs,” Dutta, who stays with her mother and grandmother at Siliguri, told The Indian Express.

An MSc in Chemistry from North Bengal University, Dutta got involved in student politics during her days at the Darjeeling Government College.

“I first joined the Chhatra Parishad and then the Yuba Congress. Later, I became a member of the WBPCC,” she said. Dutta never left Siliguri and its people because “they are my inspiration and knew I will have to work for them”.

Earlier, she had twice lost the election for councillor from Ward 12 — the area from where she won this time.

“I did not lose heart. The CPM had indulged in booth-capturing and other malpractices. But this time they could not and there was also a wind of change,” Dutta said.

If that be the case, why did the Congress take the support of the CPM to form the Board? “Big leaders can answer this question. But I can tell you one thing. Ours was a move to save the situation — to save the city from chaos and turmoil,” she said.