- People closely following the nitty-gritties of the Indian political scenario would have been familiar by now as to how our leaders never let go of an opportunity to score a brownie point or two to impress upon the vote banks. Potential or otherwise. The political class, irrespective of party affiliations/philosophies, would go to any extent to ensure their assiduously built vote banks are not only consolidated but further strengthened. Of course, the political class would always wish to stay in the limelight by whipping up emotions of diverse nature if it suits their narration and the consolidation of vote banks. This has been a common phenomenon observed, and it is further accentuated when state assembly elections are fast approaching.
PC: The Leaflet
- The West Bengal CM is a classic case of the above when the good lady presented herself in the Supreme Court recently in the special intensive revision (SIR) case against the Election Commission of India (ECI). A lot of heat has been generated by the hurriedly introduced SIR in mostly the poll-bound states. We know that the incumbent CM of West Bengal is not only feisty but also fiercely aggressive in letting go of no-holds-barred viewpoints, taking on the might of the central government, and particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party. As such, it can be deduced that the CM came to SC to star in a political-electoral theatre, and it must be concluded that it indeed was good acting. With this act, politics is rarely business as usual in India, as was proved yet again.
PC: Deccan Herald
- Mind you, Bengal CM’s decision to appear before the Supreme Court alongside her battery of lawyers was a mega move of a different league altogether. Whatever the outcome of the Bengal SIR case, the CM’s presence in court swung public glare back on EC’s glitchy process and time-stretched exercise to make new electoral rolls months ahead of state elections. Equally important for Trinamool, that the three-time chief minister – in contest for a fourth term – fought for her state before the CJI-led bench is already campaign material and on its way to becoming social media memes. The nation is aware of how dramatically Mamatadi can don the familiar streetfighter garb if the situation demands so. She did it again in the Supreme Court, no less.
PC: Deccan Herald
- The optics were spectacular/impactful. Jostling with fellow lawyers, Mamata’s folded hands and repeated missives of humble regard to the justices were perfect cover for all the potshots she took at EC, chucking them not unlike crumpled paper balls. Name mismatch and Bengali pronunciation and translation formed the bulk of the proceedings. CM sought five minutes, CJI promised her 15, and she went on to use every second of the 10-12 minutes she spoke. She seized the opportunity to highlight what she described as the plight of BLOs – over 100 people had taken their lives, she said, slipped in the word murdered but made it sound like a typo in speech, fretted about BLOs hospitalized, and accused EC of bulldozing Bengal. Will it sway the voters, though? Let’s wait.
 case against the Election Commission transformed legal proceedings into powerful campaign material ahead of state elections. The three-time chief minister skillfully used the platform to highlight EC's electoral roll revision issues, BLO deaths, and name mismatch problems while projecting herself as Bengal's defender, turning constitutional advocacy into electoral theatre that could influence voter sentiment in her bid for a fourth term.){kind=link}