Raqif Makhdoomi
Once a strong voice against the NDA government, now a defeated candidate—Mamata Banerjee’s era comes to an end after she loses her seat to a BJP candidate. She lost her seat by a margin of more than fifteen thousand votes. West Bengal was a mission for the BJP, and they accomplished it with a huge margin. Mamata Banerjee loses Bhabanipur stronghold to Suvendu Adhikari.
I remember Mamata Didi once didn’t allow Home Minister Amit Shah’s helicopter to land in West Bengal. And today, the same Mamata Didi is not even an MLA. When the counting began, Mamata Banerjee was trailing. After some rounds, she started to lead, but she trailed again—and then she finally lost. Mamata Didi’s defeat isn’t hers alone. This is a collective defeat of all those who want to put up a strong opposition against the NDA government.
Mamata Banerjee is among the longest-serving Chief Ministers of West Bengal. Didi’s win in West Bengal marked the end of the Left government in the state. She won in May 2011 for the first time, ending 34 years of Left rule. Although the party was formed in 1998, its first major electoral success came in the 2000 Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections, followed by becoming the principal opposition in the 2001 Vidhan Sabha elections. However, the 2011 election marked the first time it came to power in West Bengal.
Didi doesn’t just have the history of being a long-serving CM of Bengal; she has also been a Union Minister for Railways. She began her political journey with the Indian National Congress and remained a member for 26 years before forming her own party, the All India Trinamool Congress. Mamata Banerjee has tried different alliances. Her party was once allied with the NDA during Vajpayee’s time.
The AITMC isn’t limited to West Bengal. It has a presence in other states as well, including Arunachal Pradesh. In 2009, AITC had 5 seats, securing around 15% of the vote share. In 2020, an independent MLA joined the party. The party has a presence in Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Punjab. In Kerala, a party formed in 2024—the Democratic Movement of Kerala (DMK)—merged into AITMC. In the other mentioned states, the Trinamool Congress has either prominent faces in state units or has participated in elections and secured a notable share of votes. In 28 years of political journey, Mamata Banerjee has expanded her party and ensured its presence.
In India, there are few well-known women political personalities, and among them, Didi tops the list. In a male-dominated field, she has carved her name. She stood firm and ensured that her party remained strong. Her chappals and her white sari aren’t just her attire—they are symbols of political resistance. Mamata Didi has led countless rallies against the central government, wearing simple chappals and a sari. Her simplicity has often been a topic of discussion.
Didi has been the Chief Minister of West Bengal for 15 long years, starting from 20 May 2011. She stands at the 25th position among India’s longest-serving Chief Ministers, and among women Chief Ministers, she ranks second. She ruled West Bengal to the best of her abilities. She ensured that the state remained peaceful and that everyone was treated equally. Not trying to be a Didi fan—which I am not—she is a leader with qualities of a national figure. If projected as a national leader, she could do much better than others. Her ability to deal with people is far better than many, and she has a strong way of handling crises. Even though she lost, she led a strong campaign despite limited resources.
The election results of May 4 didn’t just end Mamata Didi’s rule in Bengal—they also marked the end of Left government presence in India. Kerala was the only state where the Left still had a government. With Congress winning Kerala, Left rule has come to an end. For the first time since 1977, India will have no state ruled by the Left.
In 1952, the CPI was the largest opposition party. In 1957, Kerala elected the world’s first democratically elected communist government. In 1977, the Left came to power in West Bengal. In 1996, Jyoti Basu was set to become the Prime Minister of India but was stopped by his own party—something he later called a “Himalayan blunder.” Basu served as Chief Minister of Bengal for 26 years. At its peak in 2008, the Left had 60 MPs across three states and held the power to bring down the UPA government. In 2011, it lost Bengal, and in 2018, it lost Tripura.
In Tamil Nadu, a new face has emerged, ending the rule of the DMK. M.K. Stalin lost his own seat, just as Mamata Didi did. Stalin’s defeat is a shock. Under his leadership, Tamil Nadu has been one of the best-performing states. The state contributes around 15% to India’s GDP. Stalin ensured a strong education system, better healthcare, and employment opportunities. But he still lost. Dedicated leaders like M.K. Stalin don’t deserve to lose. He gave Tamil Nadu his best. But in a democracy, the people decide—and they chose change.
Actor-turned-politician Vijay is now set to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. His party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, has won 107 out of 234 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
(Note: Raqif Makhdoomi is a law student and a human rights activist.)
