Not 'former CM', Mamata's new X bio sends political message
Mamata Banerjee changed her X bio as Suvendu Adhikari took oath as West Bengal Chief Minister. The update carefully avoided calling her a former chief minister.
After the Trinamool's crushing defeat in the Bengal elections, a defiant Mamata Banerjee refused to concede defeat and did not even submit her resignation to the Governor. Till 11 am on Saturday, her profile on X mentioned her as the "Honourable Chief Minister, West Bengal". As Suvendu Adhikari took the oath as the BJP's first Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata quietly tweaked her X bio.
Cautiously avoiding the word "former", Mamata addressed herself as "Chief Minister of West Bengal (15th, 16th, 17th Vidhan Sabha)". It also mentions her as the founding chairperson of the Trinamool Congress, which she formed after breaking away from the Congress in 1997.
MAMATA CHANGES BIO ON X
The refusal by Mamata to update her X profile till now triggered a storm on social media, with several users tagging X and even its owner, Elon Musk, to get her bio changed internally. A section also demanded the suspension of her account.
"Instead of prefixing former, she played tactfully by including Chief Minister of West Bengal (15th, 16th, 17th Vidhan Sabha)," a journalist tweeted.
Nevertheless, the quiet move by Mamata indicates that she eventually conceded defeat. Mamata ceased to hold office automatically after May 7, when Governor RN Ravi dissolved the state Assembly after its five-year term ended.
In the Bengal elections, the Trinamool's tally plunged to 80 from 215 in 2021. The BJP scripted history by winning 207 seats, up from the 77 it won in the last elections.
WHEN MAMATA REFUSED TO RESIGN AFTER BJP WIN
The mercurial TMC supremo, under whom the party stormed to power in 2011 by ending the Left's 34-year rule, previously refused to concede defeat. Addressing a press conference earlier this week, Mamata asserted that she would not visit the Raj Bhavan to submit her resignation.
Her reason? The TMC won the elections "morally". She alleged that the Election Commission and the BJP conspired to "loot votes".
"If I had lost, I would have resigned. If anyone thinks I will step down under pressure, that is not going to happen. We did not lose the election. Morally, we won," Mamata said.
So, what are her plans? She also dropped a hint on this aspect. The Trinamool chief signalled her plan to return to her role as a "street fighter" Opposition leader. It was her this avatar that powered the TMC to end the 34-year rule of the CPM.
"I am now a free bird. I was on the streets once and I will be there again," Mamata declared on Tuesday. The path has been clearly spelt out. Mamata is set to get into her protest mode again as BJP takes the reins of its first Bengal government.
After the Trinamool's crushing defeat in the Bengal elections, a defiant Mamata Banerjee refused to concede defeat and did not even submit her resignation to the Governor. Till 11 am on Saturday, her profile on X mentioned her as the "Honourable Chief Minister, West Bengal". As Suvendu Adhikari took the oath as the BJP's first Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata quietly tweaked her X bio.
Cautiously avoiding the word "former", Mamata addressed herself as "Chief Minister of West Bengal (15th, 16th, 17th Vidhan Sabha)". It also mentions her as the founding chairperson of the Trinamool Congress, which she formed after breaking away from the Congress in 1997.
MAMATA CHANGES BIO ON X
The refusal by Mamata to update her X profile till now triggered a storm on social media, with several users tagging X and even its owner, Elon Musk, to get her bio changed internally. A section also demanded the suspension of her account.
"Instead of prefixing former, she played tactfully by including Chief Minister of West Bengal (15th, 16th, 17th Vidhan Sabha)," a journalist tweeted.
Nevertheless, the quiet move by Mamata indicates that she eventually conceded defeat. Mamata ceased to hold office automatically after May 7, when Governor RN Ravi dissolved the state Assembly after its five-year term ended.
In the Bengal elections, the Trinamool's tally plunged to 80 from 215 in 2021. The BJP scripted history by winning 207 seats, up from the 77 it won in the last elections.
WHEN MAMATA REFUSED TO RESIGN AFTER BJP WIN
The mercurial TMC supremo, under whom the party stormed to power in 2011 by ending the Left's 34-year rule, previously refused to concede defeat. Addressing a press conference earlier this week, Mamata asserted that she would not visit the Raj Bhavan to submit her resignation.
Her reason? The TMC won the elections "morally". She alleged that the Election Commission and the BJP conspired to "loot votes".
"If I had lost, I would have resigned. If anyone thinks I will step down under pressure, that is not going to happen. We did not lose the election. Morally, we won," Mamata said.
So, what are her plans? She also dropped a hint on this aspect. The Trinamool chief signalled her plan to return to her role as a "street fighter" Opposition leader. It was her this avatar that powered the TMC to end the 34-year rule of the CPM.
"I am now a free bird. I was on the streets once and I will be there again," Mamata declared on Tuesday. The path has been clearly spelt out. Mamata is set to get into her protest mode again as BJP takes the reins of its first Bengal government.
