After Victory, Mamata Forgets Regret Over ‘Narada News’ Sting

A number of tainted ministers are set to be included in Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet.

Despite the controversy, headlines and debates, the Narada News sting clearly did not affect Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress’ electoral prospects in West Bengal. But while the campaign was on, Mamata Banerjee did not know that. The visuals of senior TMC leaders taking bribes were visible all over the state and the Left-Congress alliance did its best to play it up.

Mamata, whose silence on the issue was only exacerbating the TMC’s troubles, finally spoke up half-way through the campaign.

If I knew about the issue earlier, I certainly would have given it a thought. But after the declaration, I cannot change [the candidates].

Mamata Banerjee at an election rally on 18 April, 2016

Now, as Mamata didi is sworn in for a second time, it is clear that her regrets from last month have disappeared. Her new cabinet contains some of the key accused in the sting.

The inclusion of these ‘tainted’ newly elected MLAs could mean two things. Either Mamata Banerjee does not care about the charges of corruption or she has no choice but to include these ‘strongmen’. For her, the latter scenario is more disturbing.

1. Subrata Mukherjee

A former Mayor of Kolkata, Subrata Mukherjee is the current Minister for Public Health, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development. All three are key portfolios. In 2012, he was also made the all India President of the TMC. He is one of didi’s key aides and advisors.

2. Bobby Hakim

Firhad ‘Bobby’ Hakim is the man who controls the Kolkata port for the TMC. The Minister for Urban Development and the Minister for Municipal Affairs, Bobby is no chocolate boy.

3. Sovandeb Chattopadhyay

Sovan Chatterjee is current Mayor of Kolkata and has been Councillor in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation since 1985. Like other city politicians, Chatterjee is thought to be close to the construction mafia.

4. Suvendhu Adhikari

A two-time MP, Suvendhu Adhikari has five serious criminal cases against him. He is the TMC strongman who organised the Nandigram agitation. This time, he has won the Vidhan Sabha seat from the region.