Subrata Mukherjee: Veteran TMC leader with friends from Indira to Jyotibabu

During this long career, Mukherjee, 75, has been in two parties (the Congress and Trinamool), floated an outfit of own, and has had friends across high places spanning the political divide.

Trinamool leader Subrata Mukherjee. (Express file photo)

Should he win from Ballygunge seat in South Kolkata, which votes on April 26, Trinamool leader Subrata Mukherjee could go on to mark 50 years as an MLA in the West Bengal Assembly.

During this long career, Mukherjee, 75, has been in two parties (the Congress and Trinamool), floated an outfit of own, and has had friends across high places spanning the political divide. Among the leaders he was considered close to were former Congress prime minister Indira Gandhi, the CPM’s Bengal torchbearer Jyoti Basu, and controversial Congress chief minister Siddhartha Shankar Roy.

Mukherjee had started his political career with another leader who went on to become a state stalwart, Priyaranjan Dasmunshi. Both came to Kolkata for higher studies and ended up in the Congress students’ wing Chhatra Parishad in the 1960s. For a time, they were roommates.

During a tumultuous era in West Bengal politics, Mukherjee became an MLA for the first time, winning Ballygunje in 1971. The government fell, forcing a re-election a year later, which Mukherjee again won. When he came to power, Congress CM Siddhartha Shankar Roy made Mukherjee the Minister of State for 11 departments that were under him. He handled the portfolio when West Bengal brought in changes in the panchayati raj Act, which were finally implemented by the Left government in 1977.

Mukherjee went on to win successive terms as MLA, even as his stature grew as a trade union leader. His oratory, plus sense of humour, kept him in good stead. In 1999, he crossed over to the Trinamool.

A year later, Mukherjee became the Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) as a TMC candidate. He is credited with introducing many changes during his tenure, especially as regards the city’s crumbling tram system.

In 2011, when Mamata Banerjee came to power for the first time, she made Mukherjee the Panchayat and Rural Development Minister, with additional charge of Public Engineering and Health. In his tenure, the state ranked first in providing work guaranteed under MGNREGA.

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Mukherjee is among the handful of TMC leaders who call Mamata by her name. At the same time, he continues to cherish his ties with Jyoti Basu, saying often, “In my personal life, I got huge affection from Jyotibabu.”

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More