‘Time For A Second Woman PM’: Sanjaya Baru Endorses Mamata Banerjee, TMC Reacts

Last Updated:February 16, 2026, 13:09 IST

Sanjaya Baru described Mamata Banerjee as a self-made, first-generation leader with her feet firmly on the ground.

Economist, political commentator and former media adviser to Manmohan Singh, Sanjaya Baru, has backed TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee as a prime ministerial face.

In an article published in The Telegraph, Baru said it was time for the country to have a second woman prime minister. His remarks come months ahead of the state Assembly election.

“In any case, it is a long time since we have had a woman prime minister. Given the excessive male domination of national and regional politics, it is time the country had a second woman prime minister and no one fits the bill better than Ms Banerjee," he wrote.

‘Ms Banerjee stands apart’

Baru said Mamata Banerjee is different from other leaders.

“As the only woman to presently head both a political party and a government, Ms Banerjee stands apart from all the current generation of leaders of national and regional political parties," he said.

He described her as a self-made, first-generation leader with her feet firmly on the ground. He also said she can communicate in three languages, which he claimed cannot be said of most North Indian politicians.

INDIA bloc leadership

Referring to the formation of the INDIA bloc three years ago, Baru said Banerjee should have been made its chairperson.

“Repeating the Sonia Gandhi-Manmohan Singh model with Rahul Gandhi-Mallikarjun Kharge has not helped," he wrote.

He added that Banerjee’s recent appearance in the Supreme Court underlined the self-confidence that defines her persona.

Baru said that if the INDIA alliance facilitates Banerjee’s electoral victory, it would be in a better position to take on the BJP. He also argued that the Congress Party would have benefited by inviting her back and making her party president.

TMC reacts

Reacting to the article, journalist and TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said, “AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME."

AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME. Former media advisor to PM Manmohan Singh calls for @MamataOfficial to lead the opposition INDIA alliance. https://t.co/APMaTw3e8M— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) February 16, 2026

This comes as Congress projected Rahul Gandhi as the PM face from the opposition.

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