Mamata Banerjee becomes West Bengal’s first woman CM

Swearing-in held from 1.01 pm; Cong to join govt; Mamata's Cabinet will be 44-member strong.

Mamata Banerjee,who ended the uninterrupted 34-year reign of the Left in West Bengal,scripted history when she was sworn in as the first woman Chief Minister of the state at the head of a Trinamool Congress-Congress coalition government.

The 56-year-old leader was sworn in as the 11th Chief Minister of the state at an impressive ceremony here by Governor M K Narayanan,who also administered the oath of office and secrecy to her.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi,who were invited by Banerjee for the ceremony,did not make it to the function which was attended by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.

Along with her,37 MLAs — 35 from Trinamool Congress and 2 from ally Congress — took oath as ministers of the two-tier ministry. Four of the Trinamool Congress MLAs were sworn in as Ministers of State.

Contrary to speculation,Mukherjee’s son Abhijit,who was elected as an MLA,failed to make it to the ministry.

Clad in a simple white sari and wearing a tricolor ‘uttariya’ (long scarf) that has by now now become her trade mark,Banerjee took the oath in Bengali in the name of God.

Partha Chatterjee,Deputy Leader of the Trinamool Congress Legislature party,former FICCI Secretary General Amit Mitra and WBPCC chief Manas Bhunia and CLP leader Abu Hena were among those who were inducted into the Cabinet.

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While Mitra,a TC MLA who quit as FICCI general secretary,was alloted Finance portfolio,Chatterjee will be the Industries and Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

Banerjee,who left the Congress in 1997 to form her own party to take on the Left,took the oath exactly at 1.01 pm,a time chosen by her in the presence of over 3,000 guests including the defeated Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and Left Front convener Biman Bose.

After the swearing-in,Banerjee took everyone by surprise when she hit the road to go to Writers Building to assume office,a distance of 1 km,that took a long time as she was caught in the milling crowds that wanted to have a glimpse of her and greet her.

After holding a cabinet meeting,the Chief Minister announced that the government would return 400 acres from the abandoned Tata Motors plant in Singur to farmers who unwillingly parted with their land.

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She also said if Tatas are interested to set up a factory on 600 acre in Singur,they are welcome.

Former Finance Minister Ashim Dasgupta and former Assembly speaker H A Halim were among those who attended the ceremony that lasted for one hour and 35 minutes. Former Governor Viren J Shah was also present.