On the day Suvendu Adhikari took oath as West Bengal’s first BJP chief minister in Kolkata, outgoing leader Mamata Banerjee called on left, far-left, and national forces to unite against the BJP. Speaking from her Harish Chatterjee Street residence, she invited discussions and signaled readiness to ally even with former rivals. Her appeal followed a major electoral defeat that ended her party’s 15-year rule in the state.

The report traces Banerjee’s five-decade political journey—from defeating veteran communist Somnath Chatterjee in 1984 to leading the Trinamool Congress to power in 2011 after ending 34 years of Left Front rule. Analysts credit her rise to grassroots activism during the Singur and Nandigram movements but note her later struggles with corruption allegations, administrative failures, and declining personal popularity. Observers say her current challenge lies in keeping her party intact, managing nephew Abhishek Banerjee’s controversies, and rediscovering her opposition identity.

Political commentators remain divided on her future. Some believe her resilience and remaining voter base could help her rebound, while others see her comeback as extremely difficult given age, fatigue, and BJP’s dominance.