Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday once again proved that she is still the past master of street politics. Draped in a black-bordered white sari, Ms Banerjee led the protest rally against the petrol price hike from the front. This was the first rally she had led against the Centre after becoming chief minister of West Bengal.
The rally was originally scheduled to begin at 5 pm from Jadavpur police station area but it was delayed because of the late arrival of the chief minister. Thousands of party supporters with Trinamul Congress flags in hands were waiting for their leader for hours.
Ms Banerjee’s charisma and popularity were once again evident as large numbers of people cheered her from the balconies of their homes on both sides of the Anwar Shah Road, Charu Market area and Rashbehari Avenue.
There were large number of women in the rally. The placards in the hands of the party workers read petroleum price hike manchhina (we do not accept petroleum price hike)”. They were chanting the same slogan.
After a little over an hour, the rally ended at Hazra crossing, which is very close to Ms Banerjee’s Harish Chatterjee Street residence.
Saturday’s rally once again proved that Ms Banerjee is a street fighter par excellence. A year in power has not dampened her spirit or zeal. This may be the first rally she led against the Centre after coming to power but it was not the first rally she attended. On March 3, she had led a maha micchil (grand procession) from the same Jadavpur area as a show of strength.
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Left Front calls Tripura Bandh
age correspondent
Agartala, May 26
The ruling Left Front has given a 12-hour Tripura bandh call to protest against the recent hike of petrol prices on May 31 which is coinciding with the Bharat Bandh call given by the NDA. Bijon Dhar, convener of the front, announced the decision in a press conference here in presence of the leaders of other front constituents.