Post-poll, Mamata has a creative surge

Shubhadeep Choudhury

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, May 22

The interlude between the end of campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections and the counting of votes has seen West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee change garb and slip into the shoes of a poetess.

Since May 17, she has posted on her Facebook page four poems written by her. Today, Mamata posted a poem. It has been named “Jaruri”, which can be roughly translated as “urgent” in Bengali. The poem is full of righteous sounding laments. It is possible that it is a critique of the Modi-led government although nothing has been spelt out explicitly.

On May 17, within hours of the campaigning coming to a close in West Bengal, Mamata posted a poem. This was about the smashing of the bust of the 19th century reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. The incident took place when BJP and TMC supporters clashed during a road show of BJP chief Amit Shah in Kolkata. Mamata named it “Lojjito” (embarrassed). Though the name of BJP was not mentioned, it was obvious who Mamata had targeted in the poem.

The following day (May 18), Mamata posted two poems, the titles of which can be roughly translated as “unimaginably black” (Obishashya Kalo) and “not familiar” (Chena Noy). These two poems are about violence, black money etc. and understood to be critical of the BJP.

Banerjee has a number of books to her credit although jokes abound about the quality of her writings, including poetry. Banerjee also paints.

‘Elections work as a catalyst’ 

• People close to her say elections always work as a catalyst to give a surge to Mamata’s creative energy
• “During campaigning, it is hard to find time for writing. Didi stores her feelings and once campaigning is over, she expresses herself in verses,” said a source