Wanted: A(ny?) Ministry

Trinamul Congress (TC) leader, Mamata Banerjee, the only Opposition leader inBengal, is learning the hard way that staging a political comeback may be moredifficult than she had bargained for.

Even after the January 10 bandh that her party supported and the jail bharoprogrammes she carried out later, there is no indication that her presentsupport base is anywhere near what it was in 1998 or 1999.

In sharp contrast, her new bete noire, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharyahas consolidated his position, with new investments coming in and a gradualimprovement in the work culture.

It appears that Ms Banerjee and her party have lost their credibility afterthe 2001 Assembly elections.

It is common knowledge that among major leaders, Ms Banerjee is prone to runher affairs with help and information provided by a few trusted journalist'advisers'. Their 'advice' in the ticket distribution process prior to the 2001elections resulted in an unmitigated disaster for Ms Banerjee.

For a while the TC remained dormant after the Sixth Left Front came to power.Ms Banerjee even offered to resign, which was turned down as expected, by herfollowers. After some inner party talks and regrouping (read the sidelining ofAjit Panja and the mending of fences with the BJP at the Centre), the partydecided again to hit the action mode.

There was no new message or slogan -- it was old wine in new bottle. The lossof credibility continued. The TC now clutched at straws to regain lost ground,with a cynical disregard for public opinion. It opposed the removal of squattersfrom Tolly's nullah (canal) which was delaying the extension of the undergroundMetro network, to which Ms Banerjee was committed as Minister for Railways.

Her party again began taking out processions through busy streets, disruptingtraffic, a practice she had denounced as Minister. The TC even supportedinsignificant parties like the SUCI and some Naxal groups for the January 10bandh call, although she had denounced bandhs earlier.

For the record, the SUCI professes like the Naxalites, to be a radical Leftparty, which made them strange bedfellows for the TC, which is in the BJP-ledNDA at the Centre. Observers marvel at the grotesque incongruity of the TC'srecent political twists and turns in recent months.

Remember also that the TC had ditched the BJP over the Tehelka taperevelations prior to 2001 Assembly polls, and made up with the Congress(I), theparty Ms Banerjee was expelled from. 'It would need a computer to keep track ofMs Banerjee's frequently changing alliances. The TC is the only party in Indiathat has allied itself with the BJP and the Naxalites/SUCI,' is a common jokeamong Bengal journalists.

It was no surprise that on January 10, Ms Banerjee could not gather enoughsupporters to fill all the official buses brought by the police to carry awaypeople wishing to court arrest. Most buses remained unfilled and the totalstrength of the TC supporters was only around 7,000, even fewer according topolice estimates. This, after Ms Banerjee threatened to get together 'lakhs andlakhs of people who are fed up with the Left Front and that so many will come,the government will not know what to do'.

Observers link the TC's new-found activism to the crucial , if unannounced,agenda of its leader: to rejoin the NDA Ministry at any cost. With this in viewMs Banerjee has extended support to Defence Minister George Fernandes over thecoffin scam, (although she had asked for his head after Tehelka), stoppedsniping at the state BJP leaders, parted company with the Congress and expressedtotal support for the Union Government's response on Afghanistan and relateddevelopments.

The only question is, how long it will take Ms Banerjee -- she is the only TCleader with a following of her own -- to regain the kind of support she enjoyedonly a couple of years ago? Only the TC hardcore has remained with her andunless she is a Union Minister again, it may be very difficult for her to keepeven her dwindling flock together.