New Delhi:
Congress veteran Mani Shankar Aiyar credits one attribute in Mamata Banerjee for her astronomical rise and sudden plunge in West Bengal’s politics — her “mercurial” personality. Her former colleague, however, says the current crisis facing the Trinamool Congress is an opportunity for her to reinvent herself, not an abrupt end to her eventful political journey.
Nearly 20 Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MPs, under the leadership of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, have formed a separate parliamentary bloc, pledging support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), sources said. Three Rajya Sabha MPs from the party have resigned, and over 60 of the 80 MLAs have formed a faction. And all of this happened within weeks of the BJP defeating the party in the assembly elections. Aiyar said he is shocked by the pace of the fiasco, but not surprised.
“No, I am shocked that it happened so suddenly, but I’m not surprised because both her (Mamata Banerjee’s) rise and her fall had everything to do with her mercurial personality,” he told NDTV Managing Editor Shiv Aroor.
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‘Mamata Banerjee A Remarkable Person’
He, however, called Mamata Banerjee a remarkable person.
“I don’t think there’s been anyone like her, nor will there ever be. Yes, there are some characteristics of hers which you can draw parallels with other big leaders, lots of big leaders, but this combination of all these characteristics is something utterly unusual,” he added.
He said Mamata Banerjee always had an insurmountable self-belief, which helped her defeat the Left.
“It took her a good 12 to 13 years to actually come to power. So she fought her way every day, every hour, every minute, relentlessly with a persistence that is only admirable. She has an amazing commitment to her cause and amazing confidence in her cause,” he added.
He said the Trinamool politicians who are ready to shun her after the poll debacle are searching their own political base.
“I mean, I know it’s politics. But I think none of them had a political base other than Mamata Banerjee. And in the desperate search for a political base, they’re willing to abandon and then abandon in droves,” he added.
Mamata Banerjee And The INDIA Bloc
Praising her indomitable spirit, he said that Mamata Banerjee appears poised to walk alone, which can benefit the Opposition’s INDIA alliance.
“She hasn’t lost herself. I think we should make that distinction. She remains what she always was, an outstanding, utterly unusual political personality,” he said.
“I do believe that her fiery spirit, her never-say-die attitude, is what the INDIA bloc needs,” he asserted.
On what’s next for her, Aiyar said she still has a bright political future if she leads the INDIA alliance
“I think as long as she’s associated with and in the leadership of the INDIA bloc, she has a very bright political future. If not at the state level, then at the national level,” he said.
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The Congress leader also had a grim warning for the INDIA bloc if Banerjee doesn’t lead it.
“If she’s not there, I have serious concerns about the future of the INDIA alliance,” he added.
He also dwelt on the recent rift in the Tamil Nadu edition of the INDIA bloc.
The Congress, which contested the 2026 Tamil Nadu polls in alliance with the DMK, supported Vijay’s TVK after the polls. MK Stalin has described the move as a “betrayal”.
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The party recently skipped an INDIA bloc meeting because the Congress was attending it.
“What did we leave the DMK for? To get one, perhaps two ministerial houses? Don’t we know that we have to have a permanent place in Tamil Nadu? That Tamil Nadu has stood with the Congress. (Supporting Vijay is a) huge mistake. Huge mistake and possibly irretrievable,” he added.
