West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday heaped praise on her Tamil Nadu counterpart who passed away on Monday.
The official website of Trinamool Congress has published the personal tribute penned by Ms. Banerjee on Jayalalithaa. In the letter, Ms. Banerjee said: “There are some deaths which not only make us sad, but also rip our heart. Today is the day to talk about one such death.”
Recalling her interactions with Jayalalithaa, Ms. Banerjee wondered if her health started deteriorating when she was sent to jail. “We have lost a spontaneous, workaholic leader who was always full of fresh ideas,” she said.
Ms. Banerjee remembered her first meeting with Jayalalithaa during the late nineties when both the women were part of NDA that formed government for the first time ever. “At NDA meetings, even Atal Ji would wait for Jaya Ji to arrive. He would even leave his chair for her.”
Drawing parallels of her life with Jayalalithaa, Ms. Banerjee wrote: “I understand how fighting against all odds feels like. I have been facing a volley of abuses and conspiracies myself for some time now.
Jaya Ji’s struggle is somewhat similar. She emerged a winner solely because of her political wisdom, administrative expertise and strength of character. History will always remember her as a strong female politician.”
