Amit Mitra: the outsider is now an insider

Mitra is the party spokesman and he will be advocating the development work of West Bengal outside the state

Till recently, Amit Mitra was disparagingly known as the "outsider" who was brought in from Delhi, to aid Trinamool Congress' makeover. But after bagging two plum portfolios--commerce and industry and national spokesman in the last two months, the former corporate lobbyist has proved that he is much more than all the "insiders" put together in his party, the Trinamool Congress; he is Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee's trusted lieutenant and consequently, the second most important person in the state government. Mitra's rise was steady.

In 2011,when the TMC government was formed, he assumed the role of Finance Minister. Last December, he displaced heavyweight colleague, Partha Chatterjee, to take on the additional responsibility of commerce and industry. Finally, yesterday, he was appointed the national spokesman of the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The party website said that Mitra had been appointed the party spokesman and would be assisted by Derek O'Brien, better known as the Chief Minister's Twitter handle.  

"He would be advocating the development work of West Bengal outside the state and the move was in sync with the party's national ambitions," a senior TMC leader said. TMC recently teamed up anti-graft leader, Anna Hazare, for a joint campaign in the Lok Sabha elections. But what made the Mitra's rise possible?

"He always toes the CM's line," a party insider said. Mitra was quick to figure out what Banerjee wanted early in the day. For one, he severed all communication channels with the media to avoid any potential confusion. He took a cue from his boss who felt that he was too "simple and straightforward" to handle questions from the media, after he got into a verbal duel with former West Bengal Finance Minister, Asim Dasgupta, on the state's finances. That was enough. Mitra took the hint and even did away with the post-budget press conference.

In 2012, for the first time in many decades, the press conference was addressed by the Chief Minister. Mitra was,of course, present to clarify any point that Banerjee felt was necessary. In 2013 and this year, there were no press conferences after the budget.  Observers also feel that another reason behind Mitra's move up the ladder was, his lack of political ambition.

"He has no mass base and is not a threat. The fact that he is not a political entity and doesn't come with a baggage will also help Mitra to nurture Banerjee's national political ambitions. Also, he is a well-known face in Delhi," an industrialist who knows Mitra said. After all, in the wake of AAP, it helps to start with a clean slate.