"He Was A Father Figure": Mamata Banerjee's Tribute To Pranab Mukherjee

"For decades he was a father figure," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in her tweet on Monday to express her condolences at the death of former president Pranab Mukherjee. "It is with deep sorrow I write this. Bharat Ratna Pranab Mkherjee has left us. And era has ended."

Mamata Banerjee's association with Pranab Mukherjee began when she was in the Congress. "From my first win as MP to being my senior Cabinet colleague to his becoming President while I was CM," Ms Banerjee wrote in an emotional tweet.

So many memories.A visit to Delhi without Pranabda is unimaginable. He is a legend in all subjects from politics to economics. Will be forever grateful. Shall miss him immensely. My condolences to Abhijit & Sharmistha (2/2)

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 31, 2020

Pranab Mukherjee and Mamata Banerjee were known to each other for at least four decades when they were both part of the West Bengal unit of the Congress.

In his memoirs, Mr Mukherjee had written about her victory over veteran CPM leader Somnath Chatterjee in the 1984 parliamentary elections when she became an MP for the first time ever.

"This was a splendid victory and she appeared to be truly a giant killer. Throughout her subsequent political life, she has always faced tough challenges bravely and tried to convert them into opportunities," he wrote in his book, The Coalition Years, published 2017.

In 1992, they fell out over the election of the state Congress committee chief which Mamata Banerjee lost narrowly to the late Somen Mitra. She lost her temper after the defeat and attacked him, Mr Mukherjee wrote, leaving him feeling 'insulted and humiliated".

There was some strain in their ties when Trinamool joined the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Pranab Mukherjee was Finance Minister. That strain peaked over his candidature for president in 2012.

Ms Banerjee first would not support him but finally relented. And warmly. A day before he took oath as president, she flew to Delhi and straight to his home with a box of his favourite mishti from Kolkata. She was present for his oath taking.

Mr Mukherjee, in his book published in 2017, had written, "She has built her own career - fearlessly and aggressively - and what she is today is the outcome of her own struggle, labour and had work. She has an aura about her which is difficult to explain but impossible to ignore."

The warmth was reciprocated as is clear from Ms Banerjee's condolence message - the passing of Pranab Mukherjee was a personal loss.