Cricketer, Adivasi Actor: Representation Key In New Mamata Cabinet

The cabinet saw extensive representation from Junglemahal and 17 fresh faces.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

(Photo: File)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appointed her new cabinet, for her third term in office, as 43 ministers took oath in the West Bengal Assembly on 10 May.

This is the third consecutive term that Banerjee, supremo of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won as Chief Minister. Her new cabinet is a mix of old and new, with special attention paid to equitable representation. In all, 24 Cabinet Ministers, 10 Ministers of State with independent charge and nine Ministers of State took the oath.

Mamata Keeps Health, Old Guards Take Important Portfolios

The Chief Minister kept the portfolios of Hill and Home Affairs, Personnel and Administration, Health & Family Welfare, Land and Land Reforms and Refugee and Rehabilitation, Information and Cultural Affairs and North Bengal Development.

Other key ministries remained with the old, trusted leaders, some of whom have been given the same portfolios they held last time.

Dr Amit Mitra has been appointed Minister of Finance once again. Similarly, veteran TMC leader, Subrata Mukherjee, has been once again made Panchayat and Rural affairs minister. Leaders like Shashi Panja, Firhad Hakim, Partha Chatterjee and Aroop Biswas, who held important portfolios in the first two terms of the Mamata government, have once again been appointed as Cabinet Ministers.

Of the Cabinet Ministers, a significant new name is that of Manas Ranjan Bhunia, Rajya Sabha MP and a veteran politician in the state, earlier a part of the Congress.

The Fresh Faces

A number of fresh faces - first time MLAs - were given ministerial ranks with portfolios that match their areas of expertise. In fact, 17 out of the 43 ministers are fresh faces.

Former cricketer Manoj Tiwary, who joined the TMC just ahead of the elections, and won from Howrah's Shibpur constituency, has been made MoS for Youth and Sports. Similarly, former IPS officer Humayun Kabir, who defeated another former IPS Bharati Ghosh from the Debra constituency, was made MoS (Independent Charge) for technical education, training and skill development.

Other new names include Adivasi actor Birbaha Hansda who's been made MoS Forests, educationist Ratna De Nag, Jyotsna Mandi, MLA from Bankura's Ranibandh and Sheuli Saha, MLA from Keshpur.

It is also interesting to note that Hansda is the only actor who's been given a ministerial berth, despite of many "star" Bengali film actors having won their seats.

Representation Across Communities, Caste, Districts

The Junglemahal area has rewarded Mamata Banerjee this election by voting for the TMC, after siding with the BJP in Lok Sabha 2019.

There is representation in the cabinet from Bankura, Jhargram, Purulia and West Midnapore, as well as East Midnapore.

One ministerial berth has been given to Bulu Chik Baraik, MLA from Mal in North Bengal's Jalpaiguri.

There's also representation from Malda in which the TMC opened its account for the first time this election.

Additionally, eight women (nine, including the CM) have also been sworn in.

There are also seven ministers from the minority community, some of whom are senior leaders like Firhad Hakim, Siddiqullah Chowdhury and Md. Golam Rabbani.

Dr Amit Mitra, and ministers Bratya Basu and Rathin Ghosh were sworn in virtually. While the latter two had COVID-19, Dr Mitra has been unwell.