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Demonstrations against the rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College in Calcutta will not stop Mamata Banerjee, the West Bengal Chief Minister, from her annual ritual of receiving the first puja of Durga Pujas. Beginning Tuesday evening, Mamata will go to Sreebhumi Sporting Club’s Puja, conducted by Sujit Bose, state minister for emergency services, amid street demonstrations. These demonstrations occur on Mahalaya, which also heralds the start of Durga Puja celebrations.
Despite the history of animosity between them, Mamata could have attended any of several Pujas held back in her home base of South Calcutta but she chose Sujit’s. Earlier this year, the Enforcement Directorate raided Sujit’s house even if he is a confidant of Mamata. Trinamul insiders tell benitagers that when Mamata chose Sujit’s Puja, was influenced mostly and internally, as Sujit is at present less hostile than affiliations like Firhad Hakim and Aroop Biswas.
Recently Hakim and Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata’s nephew, got into an open confrontation after an employee of Abhishek lodged an FIR against Hakim’s officer for demanding bribe. On the other hand, Aroop and Swaroop Biswas duo, who has vast power over the cine industries of Bengal, have been under much criticism especially after an attempted hairdresser’s suicide of self-immolation by setting herself on fire alleging the Biswas led guild refused to accept her resume for a job.
Mamata’s decision to begin her pandal-hopping with Sujit Bose’s Puja might be a sign of the temporary alliance but as sources within the party say, she has no permanent enemies or friends. Even though prior to the elections Sujit was publicly reprimanded for problems regarding traffic near the airport Amid Durga Puja, this year he is still on Mamata’s team.
