Thaindian News

Kolkata, July 21 (IANS) From addressing a crowd of tens of thousands, playing the perfect host to her VIP guests, and even anchoring the show to control an unruly crowd, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was in firmly command at her first major rally here Thursday after coming to power two months ago.

The Brigade Parade Ground was witness to a star-studded rally by the Trinamool Congress to mark the death of 13 Congress workers in police firing on this day in 1993 during an agitation.

Banerjee, amid rapturous applause, ascended the dais graced by past and present movie stars including Biswajit, Dev, Debasree Roy, and Shatabdi Roy among others. Poet Joy Goswami, painters Shuvaprasanna, Jogen Chowdhury, and eminent writer Mahasweta Devi were also present. Many Trinamool Congress leaders, including those recently elected to the Rajya Sabha were also in attendance.

Banerjee took up the microphone and conducted the show till the end. She not only personally felicitated the personalities on the podium by draping blue coloured scarves around their neck, but also introduced them to the crowd.

She joined singer Nachiketa while he performed a song written by her and lent her voice to Tagore’s immortal creation “bandh behnge dao” as others too joined in.

With the ever swelling crowd going berserk to catch a glimpse of their favourite cine-stars, Banerjee took it upon herself to control them. “Please behave. Please do not break the barricades,” she repeatedly said, at times threatening: “If you do not behave I will leave, Do you want me to leave?”

Banerjee, aware of the pulse of the crowd, made the cine stars sing a line or two from their movies. As Biswajit, Dev, Tapas Pal, and Chiranjit crooned melodies the crowd clapped and cheered.

After introducing the ministers and other leaders to the spectators, Banerjee said: “Have you all seen your ministers? Remember them; they are the ones who will work for you.”

Finally, Banerjee started her speech for which the crowd was eagerly waiting. She enumerated about the achievements of her government and they reciprocated with deafening clapping. She finished her address by chanting slogans, and the crowd joined in with enthusiasm.