Headmistress Didi’s bizarre way of attracting investment

“Roll number one.” “Yes Teacher.” “Roll number two.” “Yes Teacher.” “Japan”. “Yes Teacher.” “China?” “Yes Madam.” “Germany? US?” What’s going on? One might ask. Well, it’s the inimitable Mamata Banerjee at work. And she is wooing foreign investment to West Bengal. Not often you find sombre officials from foreign consulates and serious-looking corporate big guys stand up and nod responding to a roll call of sorts. But in Didi’s land etiquette does not follow any fixed rules. She sets her own rules and it’s for others to follow. [caption id=“attachment_178185” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Didi is unlike any other leader in the country. Once a street fighter and always the street fighter, she is a different ball game altogether. AFP Photo”]  [/caption] If it’s not clear, ask the Congress. If it thought it could make Mamata dance to its tune since it was the big brother at the Centre and a partner in government in West Bengal too, it was in for a rude awakening. Didi is just not the kind who respects others a lot. She marches to her own drumbeat. If it means running into trouble, she cares two hoots about it. “Japan, Japan, where is Japan? Do you want to invest? China, China, where are my Chinese friends? Germany? US?” That must the most unconventional way of inviting investment. And here’s more. “Mr Patton Tank, Mr Jindal, when will you start your project? You cannot say we haven’t cleared your project, now quickly start it.” She was speaking at Bengal Leads, the state’s first global business summit. If those present were a bit shocked, they did their best not to show it. There were amused looks alright but no rejection of the leader. If they have to do business, they must learn the ways of the chief minister. Her style of selling the state to investors was unique, too — not too much of talking in circles, not waxing eloquent on the state and straight cutting to the chase. “Everything is here — cheap labour, social infrastructure, natural resources, river, forest. Darjeeling was burning, it is peaceful now. Junglemahal was bleeding, it is smiling. So come and join.” Well said, one must say though it’s too early to credit her with any great achievement. She looks disinclined to displease people to get the state industrialised. But so far confidence-building talk goes, this serves well enough. There was the hidden warning for the industry too — again, not camouflaged in sweet words and no nonsense. “I am ready to bat for the industry. When I am batting, I would not like to go for match-fixing. If I bowl, I will bowl you out. If I bat, I will bat with a straight bat. I am ready to bat for industry and agriculture as well,” The Indian Express quoted her as saying. Her style of leadership is jarring and would certainly take some time to sink in. But if it delivers the results, it should be nobody’s headache to teach her the niceties of conducting business – of governance, administration, attracting capital etc. But for now, everybody should be prepared for the roll call, including the powerful investors from across the world. Didi is unlike any other leader in the country. Once a street fighter and always the street fighter, she is a different ball game altogether.