Amartya Sen's comments on Mamata's PM-like qualities irks BJP, Cong & CPI(M)

Kolkata: Leaders of most opposition parties in West Bengal are upset after Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen praised Mamata Banerjee to be fit for the “ Prime Minister of the country”.

Besides the BJP and Congress, even the CPI(M) leadership, who feel mentally aligned with Sen's social economics theories, has objected to the Nobel laureate's observations about the West Bengal chief minister. However, at the same time, the tone of CPI(M)'s objections to Sen's comments are much more reticent than other opposition parties.

Reminding that Sen has also expressed doubts on how far Mamata Banerjee will be able to unite the opposition against the BJP, CPI(M)'s central committee member, Sujan Chakraborty said that it seems that the Nobel laureate economist made this comment based on some superficial observation.

"It is true that the opposition parties in the country will have to be united against the BJP. But it seems that what probably escaped Sen's observations is that Mamata Banerjee is being used as a tool by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to crack the opposition unity," he said.

According to Congress's Rajya Sabha member Pradip Bhattacharya, a united opposition to the BJP will never be possible without the Congress. "Mamata Banerjee dreams of becoming the Prime Minister of India. But she is trying to do that without the Congress. But that will never be possible," Bhattacharya said.

While the tones of CPI(M) and Congress leaders were quite clement on this count, the pitch of BJP's national vice- president and party Lok Sabha member, Dilip Ghosh was scathing.

"Amartya Sen is day-dreaming. Mamata Banerjee went to other states outside West Bengal with bags of money to lure voters. But she failed everywhere. Probably what is being overlooked by Sen is that to pitch for the Prime Minister's post, the party concerned needs to garner enough seats from the entire country. Where will Trinamool Congress arrange these seats from?" Ghosh questioned.

However, the Trinamool Congress leadership does not want to give any importance to the observations of the opposition parties on this count.

Party's Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said, "A number of times Mamata Banerjee has proved her quality to become the Prime Minister of the country and that quality has been appreciated and affirmed by Amartya Sen."

IANS with minor edits