Mamata Banerjee sworn in as West Bengal’s first woman CM

Her ministry in West Bengal will include several giantkillers,as well as the leaders of her ‘Ma Mati Manush’ campaign. Several of those who led her victorious charge into the Red forts of North Bengal and in Naxal-hit Junglemahal will also get ministerial berths.

The Congress,which will join the government,has been offered two Cabinet berths and five ministers of state. Banerjee has not been able to keep her promise of a “small” team — her 44-strong ministry,with 37 Trinamool members including herself,will be as big as that of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s.

As per rules,the number of portfolios allotted cannot be larger than 15 per cent of the size of the Assembly,which in the case of Bengal,is 294. The TMC’s election ally,the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI),opposed to the Congress in principle,will not join the government.

The swearing-in began,as per the TMC’s request to Governor M K Narayanan,at 1.01 pm at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata.

Afterward,Banerjee might walk the half-kilometre distance to Writers’ Buildings,accepting the greetings of thousands who are likely to line the streets to catch a glimpse of the new chief minister.

Police have erected barricades,and are preparing to form a human chain to keep the crowds at bay. Unlike after successive Left victories,there will be no reception for Banerjee and her team at Writers’ Buildings from the staff and employees.

Among those who will be sworn in are former FICCI secretary general Amit Mitra,Subrata Mukherjee,Firad Hakim,Subrata Bakshi and Partha Chatterjee — all from the Trinamool.

From the Congress,there will be D P Roy,Abu Hena,Abu Naser Khan Chowdhury (a brother of former Congress stalwart A B A Ghani Khan Chowdhury) and Sabina Yasmin. Abhijit Mukherjee,the son of Pranab Mukherjee,stayed out apparently after the Union finance minister advised the newcomer to work for the people first.

Yasmin and Sabita Mitra of the Trinamool — both from Malda — will be the only two women in Banerjee’s ministry,despite the overwhelming support she got from women across the state. Four retired bureaucrats who served the Left regime but contested on Trinamool tickets will be part of the ministry.

The ministry is likely to have five Muslim faces,four members from the SC/ST community,and a representative of the backward Bengali Matua sect,Manjul Krishna Thakur. The Matuas have sizeable numbers in about 50 Assembly constituencies across the state.

Hiten Barman from Coochbehar and Gautam Deb from Siliguri are likely to represent new North Bengal areas where the Trinamool extended its footprint for the first time.

Sabitra Mitra,a former Ghani Khan loyalist who switched to TMC in Malda,and Abdul Karim Chowdhury of North Dinajpur,a popular Congressman who joined TMC and eroded much of Deepa Dasmunsi’s base in the district,will be rewarded with ministries.

Playwright Bratya Basu,who defeated the Left heavyweight Gautam Deb,Manish Gupta who defeated Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee,and Rabiranjan Chatterjee,a Burdwan University professor who trounced industry minister Nirupam Sen,will get ministerial berths.

Before coming to Raj Bhavan,Banerjee is likely to visit the Kalighat temple,not far from her home. Councillors from the TMC have organised a yajna at the temple.

Late on Thursday evening,it was announced that Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Biman Bose,West Bengal secretary of the CPM,would attend the swearing-in. Earlier,the LF was to have been represented at the function by a delegation not including the defeated chief minister.

Bhattacharjee and his wife were invited on behalf of Banerjee by her trusted lieutenant Partha Chatterjee,who visited the Bhattacharjees’ Palm Avenue flat this morning.

Congress leaders Pranab Mukherjee,P Chidambaram,A K Antony and Shakeel Ahmed will attend the swearing-in.

As many as 60 industrialists were invited to attend the swearing-in,including a three-member team from the Tata Group.