Kolkata, Jan 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, greeted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her 70th birthday.

“On her birthday, I convey my greetings to West Bengal CM Mamata Didi. Praying for her long and healthy life,” read a message from the Prime Minister posted on his X handle.

A similar birthday wish was extended by Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, who chose to extend the greetings in Bengali considering that it is the mother tongue of Mamata Banerjee.

"Warm birthday wishes to the founding chairperson TMC, Mamata didi. Wishing you a long and healthy life,” Kharrge’s post read.

For the last few years, the Prime Minister has not missed a single opportunity to wish Mamata Banerjee on this day. Almost every year, the Prime Minister wishes Mamata Banerjee on this day.

According to official records, Banerjee was born on January 5, 1955, which, however, is not her “actual” birth date. Banerjee, in her 1995 memoir ‘Ekante’, has written about her birth, which took place during Durga Puja. The puja is usually held at the end of September or the beginning of October as per the Hindu calendar.

Mamata Banerjee became the Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2011 ending the 34-year Left Front rule and subsequently, her party won in two consecutive state Assembly elections first in 2016 and then in 2021.

She is the first woman Chief Minister of West Bengal. As the then-opposition leader in West Bengal, she had organised several protest movements against the then-Left Front government. She was initially associated with Congress, but later broke off to form her own party -- Trinamool Congress. However, in the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2011 state Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress had an alliance with Congress. But, in the 2016 West Benga Assembly polls Congress parted ways with Trinamool and formed an alliance with the Left Front which continued till general elections in 2024.

(IANS)

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