Kolkata: Exactly one year ago, almost to the day, Mamata Banerjee was on a dharna outside the Tata's Nano factory at Singur, ranting against industry. A year later and with significant success in the Lok Sabha polls, the Railway Minister launched an image makeover that almost has industrialists convinced they may have read her wrong in the past.
Mamata meet captains of industry in Kolkata and answered a range of questions, including this gem.
"Last year the perception about Ms Mamata Banerjee was related to bandh, gheraos, processions. In the last six months, you are a transformed person, singing smiling, a soft person," said Sanjay Budhia, Industrialist.
"You have seen me earlier also but your eyes were not open. That is your problem. My problem is also that we never talked to you like this," said Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool chief.
Clearly Mamata wants to dispel her anti-industry image.
"Never I was against industry. It was an illusion of some quarters. They raised this illusion. Earlier also what I said, today also I stick to it. That industry and farmers can walk together," Mamata added.
So were industrialists convinced?
"She was engaged, she was involved, she was impressive. She was friendly, very friendly," said Sanjeev Goenka, Vice-Chairman, RPG Group.
"It's a very good initiative. I think it takes a while for people to develop mutual trust and I think that the process has started," said Harsh Neotia, Chairman, Ambuja Realty Group.
Mamata knows she has to strike a balance between her image as the farmers' champion and a pro-industry face. She has just taken her first step.