Kolkata's red-brick secretariat, built over 200 years ago for the East India Company, continues to harbor distrust towards foreign merchants. Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, has occupied the building for a year and is seen as a major obstacle to economic reforms that would open India's consumer markets to 21st-century traders. Supporters view Banerjee as a hero who ended decades of communist rule in West Bengal, protecting farmers and shopkeepers from the effects of globalization while leading the state towards economic and cultural prosperity as India's gateway to Southeast Asia. However, due to a series of unpredictable actions, including the arrest of an academic for sharing a joke email about her, critics now view her as a potential autocrat. India Today magazine has even labeled her the "Queen of Democrazy". Banerjee's controversial behavior and dissatisfaction with her leadership in West Bengal may lead to a deterioration of her popularity with voters. Additionally, she relies on the central government to help alleviate West Bengal's debt crisis. These circumstances provide Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with an opportunity to outmaneuver her, despite her status as a coalition partner who has obstructed much-needed economic reforms. Over the past year, India's impressive economic growth has slowed down, leading to significant increases in both current account and budget deficits. However, the central government's efforts to implement crisis-solving policies have been hindered by coalition allies, particularly Banerjee's Trinamool Congress party. A Bengali political analyst, Amulya Ganguli, noted that Banerjee may be reconsidering her stance and becoming more cooperative in order to address the situation responsibly. A weakened Banerjee could potentially make it easier for Singh's government, which has seen a decline in popularity due to corruption scandals and high inflation, to implement reforms. Despite her humble beginnings as a poor teacher's daughter, Banerjee was recognized in April as one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world. Recently visited by Hillary Clinton, Banerjee received praise for her political achievements and discussed potential US investment in Indian ports. However, in an interview with Reuters in the same room where she met Clinton, Banerjee made it clear that she remains opposed to foreign supermarkets like Wal-Mart operating in India. She expressed her support for private investment in various sectors like tourism and industry to create jobs, including hospitals, but made it clear that she would always stand against policies that result in job losses for farmers and small retailers. She mentioned that there are certain limits to what she can support, as she cannot advocate for people to lose their jobs due to certain policies. She also stated her opposition to increasing the prices of heavily subsidised fuel and rail fares. This is disappointing news for Prime Minister Singh, as his inability to control deficits and reverse the economic slowdown has damaged his reputation as the driving force behind the reforms that revitalized India's economy 20 years ago. Banerjee, who holds significant political power with her 19 MPs in parliament, emphasizes the importance of exploring alternative solutions beyond just discussing price increases for the common people. She stresses the need to consider different strategies for developing businesses and securing additional funds. Despite her own financial struggles in the state government, Banerjee remains committed to her frugal lifestyle and rejects government perks like a salary, car, and residence. Her personal frugality has not prevented her from hiring around 90,000 new teachers and police officers, despite the state being in debt. The cost of these hires has raised concerns, but her finance minister, Amit Mitra, explained that the expenses were minimal due to low salaries. Mitra, a stressed former leader of India's prominent industry organization, FICCI, mentioned that the state's tax revenue increased by 20% last year primarily due to improved enforcement. Kolkata, previously known as Calcutta, was the British Empire's main city in India and remained a hub of intellectual and industrial activity long after the British left. Once one of the wealthiest cities in the 19th century, Kolkata now bears more resemblance to Havana, Cuba, with its faded tropical charm and old-fashioned taxis from the 1950s. Banerjee expressed her desire to bring back the former glory of the state by modernizing the city and has invited companies to help with projects such as building a 'Kolkata Eye' to rival London's ferris wheel. Despite criticism in the media, city improvements like painting bridges and buildings blue and installing ornamental street lights designed by Banerjee herself have been deemed cost-effective. The construction of new flyovers, an airport terminal, and the growth of middle-class housing and office spaces indicate progress is underway. Although efforts to attract private investment began before Banerjee's tenure, some are disappointed by the lack of improvement in the investment climate in West Bengal. Banerjee, a painter and poet with a passion for Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore, has her own creative vision for the state. Critics highlight a negative aspect of her personality - that she does not seem to handle opposition well. She recently demonstrated her influence by pressuring the prime minister to dismiss his railway minister from their own party after he announced in parliament that rail fares would increase. The former minister, Dinesh Trivedi, expressed surprise at being asked to leave after receiving approval for the fare hike from unions and economists to help fund the modernization of the railway network, which is currently outdated and hindering economic growth. In April, Ambikesh Mahapatra, a 52-year-old chemistry professor, forwarded an email that mocked Banerjee's treatment of Trivedi. As a result, he was detained by the police for alleged 'cyber crimes' after being confronted and physically assaulted by a group of people. Mahapatra expressed his surprise at being accused of a crime, stating that he now feels fearful, particularly due to the government's lack of remorse. Mahapatra's actions caused a strong reaction. Banerjee, who was previously hospitalized for a long time after being attacked by Communist assailants, was able to defeat the leftists in part by speaking out against the culture of political violence in West Bengal. Critics are now questioning whether anything has changed. Dwaipayan Bhattacharyya from the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta, remarked, "While bridges are painted white and blue, protesters are left black and blue. This seems to be her current approach... She does not tolerate any form of dissent." The behavior of Banerjee has caused the educated middle classes, who supported her defeat of the left, to become alienated, according to Bhattacharyya. Banerjee has been visibly upset by accusations of being autocratic, attributing the campaign against her to the communists she removed from power. She also claims that violence has decreased significantly since she took office. Anand Sharma, the minister behind the plan to open up India's retail sector, has faced obstacles in achieving his goals so far. However, there may be a shift in this situation. A senior government adviser, speaking anonymously, stated that Banerjee's reputation as a dragon slayer is diminishing with the recent arrest of a scientist. "Maybe that provides Anand with some extra space, we will wait and see."