Mamata Banerjee (born 1955)

Mamata Banerjee is an Indian politician and the current Chief Minister of West Bengal. Born on January 5, 1955, in Kolkata (then Calcutta), she is one of the most prominent and influential leaders in Indian politics. Banerjee has been in active politics since the 1970s and has served in various government positions. She is the founder of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), a regional political party in West Bengal.

Early Life and Education:

Banerjee was born in a middle-class family in Kolkata, West Bengal. Her father, Promileswar Banerjee, was a freedom fighter and a member of the Indian National Congress. Her mother, Gayetri Devi, was a homemaker. Banerjee attended Jogamaya Devi College, a women's college affiliated with the University of Calcutta. She completed her Master of Arts in Islamic History from the same university.

Political Career:

Banerjee's political career began in the 1970s when she joined the Indian National Congress. She was one of the youngest members of the party at the time. In 1984, she was elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, for the first time from the Jadavpur constituency in West Bengal. She went on to serve as a member of parliament for seven consecutive terms from 1984 to 2019.

In 1997, Banerjee founded the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) after she was expelled from the Indian National Congress. The TMC started as a regional party in West Bengal but has since expanded its presence to other parts of India. Banerjee became the first woman Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2011 when the TMC won the state elections, defeating the Communist Party of India (Marxist) which had been in power for 34 years.

Banerjee is known for her populist policies, including providing food, shelter, and healthcare to the poor. She has also been a vocal critic of the central government's policies, particularly those related to demonetization, the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

In 2019, Banerjee won a landslide victory in the state elections, winning 211 out of 294 seats in the state assembly. She was re-elected as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for the third time in May 2021. In the 2021 assembly elections, the TMC won 213 seats out of 292 seats, with Banerjee herself winning from the Nandigram constituency.

Personal Life:

Banerjee is unmarried and has no children. She is known for her simple lifestyle and is often seen wearing a cotton sari and rubber slippers. She is a devout Hindu and is known for her strong beliefs in astrology and numerology. She is also an avid painter and has held several exhibitions of her paintings.

Controversies:

Banerjee has been involved in several controversies during her political career. In 2011, she faced criticism for her handling of the Nandigram and Singur land acquisition protests, which led to the death of several protesters. She was also criticized for her response to the violence that erupted during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal.

In 2012, Banerjee faced criticism for arresting a college student for posting a cartoon of her on Facebook. The incident sparked widespread protests and led to calls for greater freedom of expression in India.

In 2021, Banerjee was injured in an alleged attack while campaigning for the state assembly elections in Nandigram. She sustained injuries to her foot and was admitted to a hospital for treatment.

Legacy:

Banerjee's legacy as a.