If Banerjee really means business...

Mamata Banerjee bears a long legacy that goes back half-a-century. In fact, she is a product of that very legacy: anti-business. So, when the angry young woman-turned-angry older woman appeared in an ad in this paper on Monday not just wearing a smile, but also extolling 'Bengal means Business' to announce the 2-day Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) that starts in Kolkata tomorrow, we were happily surprised. Although we must add the large side-to-side photos of gold jewellery and smelting steel left us feeling a tad 20th century. The explainer below pointed to Bengal 'emerging as a hub of steel production' and 'top brands are manufacturing [jewellery] in various parts of Bengal'. Perhaps Didi could make a more engaging pitch in sectors that have more potential for value-add - and profit - than chokers and stainless steel?

As a lady who has tempered with time, Didi could also see to it that her coterie dials down their 'angry young/middle-aged men' USP that has, like their officially communist predecessors, only scared businesspeople away. It's been a while since Banerjee chased Tata Motors away. But that perception lingers, perhaps with good reason. Maybe, instead of 'Gold or Steel, Bengal means Mettle', the BGBS tagline could be 'EV or AI, Bengal means Hello, not Tata'. Then MoUs could make for memoranda that can be remembered.