Mamata should show more maturity

This is with reference to the editorial 'Insult to Mamata, a mean act' (THI, May 30).

It is evident that BJP's move to invite the kin of its workers murdered in political violence in Bengal has caught Mamata on the wrong foot.

She could no longer attend the event because that would have meant tacit admission on her part of TMC-orchestrated violence, but in her hasty withdrawal and hastier citing of excuses, she runs the risk of further losing her credibility.

Notably, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik or Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot — all political rivals — are also skipping the event.

Mamata could have easily done so without a fuss. But in seeking to occupy high moral ground while rejecting the invitation and giving excuses that are vulnerable to refutation, Mamata has exposed her political immaturity.

It may only be now dawning on the Bengal Chief Minister the enormity of the challenge facing her.

If the BJP, with a ramshackle organisational structure in the State and no local mass leader to speak of, can still pull off a stunning upset and send 18 lawmakers to Parliament from West Bengal, it is evident that a fertile ground has been created for BJP's further rise, the party will be doubly enthused to maximise its gains and its workers, cadres and local leaders will become suitably energised.

Defections, that have already begun in BJP's favour, may start in a trickle and quickly develop into a flood. Mamata would be aware of the saffron shadow over her own seat in 2021 Assembly polls.

The TMC won 211 seats out of 294 in 2016 Assembly polls. Already, two TMC MLAs and one each from Congress and CPM have crossed over to the saffron camp. Reports say 50 TMC councilors have also turned saffron.

BJP claims this is the first strike in first phase with six more to go. Mamata should be worried because the BJP plans ahead, has enormous resources at its disposal and is filling in a political and ideological vacuum in Bengal.

Trinamool Congress may still hold the cards, but in a personality-centric party that relies more on opportunism than ideology to propagate and sustain its appeal, TMC faces a formidable opponent in BJP that ticks all the boxes.

Ravi Shankar Ch, Siddipet