Minakshi Mukherjee
{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Minakshi Mukherjee
| image = 250px
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = bn
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|39|2024|01|12}}
| birth_place = Kulti, West Bengal, India
| office1 = West Bengal State Secretary, Democratic Youth Federation of India
| term_start1 = 2021
| term_end1 =
| office2 = West Bengal State President Democratic Youth Federation of India
| term_start2 = 2018
| term_end2 = 2021
| education = M.A. in Political Science, Burdwan University
| occupation = Politician
| organization =
| party = Communist Party of India (Marxist)
| relatives =
| office =
| status =
| term_start =
| father =
| mother =
| predecessor1 = Sayandeep Mitra
| successor2 = Dhrubajyoti Saha
| predecessor2 = Sayandeep Mitra
}}
Minakshi Mukherjee is an Indian politician from West Bengal. She is the state secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). She previously was the state president of DYFI,{{cite news |last1=Majumdar |first1=Arkamoy Datta |title=Bengal Polls 2021: Pre-midnight crowd cheers for young Left leader |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/west-bengal-assembly-elections-2021-pre-midnight-crowd-cheers-for-young-left-leader/cid/1811568 |access-date=4 October 2021 |work=The Telegraph |date=4 April 2021 |archive-date=4 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004130934/https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/west-bengal-assembly-elections-2021-pre-midnight-crowd-cheers-for-young-left-leader/cid/1811568 |url-status=live }} the youth wing of CPIM.{{Cite web|date=2021-03-12|title=A Minakshi in the battle of Goliaths|last=Chowdhury|first=Santanu|url=https://indianexpress.com/elections/a-minakshi-in-the-battle-of-goliaths-7224980/|access-date=2021-03-13|website=The Indian Express|language=en|archive-date=13 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313032608/https://indianexpress.com/elections/a-minakshi-in-the-battle-of-goliaths-7224980/|url-status=live}} She was fielded as the Left Front candidate from Sanjukta Morcha against Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee and BJP Leader Suvendu Adhikari in the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly Election from Nandigram, but lost to Suvendu Adhikari.{{Cite magazine|date=10 March 2021|title=Bengal polls: CPI(M) declares Minakshi Mukherjee as its candidate from Nandigram|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/west-bengal-assembly-polls-2021/story/bengal-polls-cpi-m-declares-meenakshi-mukherjee-as-its-candidate-from-nandigram-1777836-2021-03-10|access-date=2021-03-13|magazine=India Today|language=en|archive-date=3 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503163148/https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/west-bengal-assembly-polls-2021/story/bengal-polls-cpi-m-declares-meenakshi-mukherjee-as-its-candidate-from-nandigram-1777836-2021-03-10|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=CPM nominates Minakshi Mukherjee from Nandigram|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/cpm-nominates-minakshi-mukherjee-from-nandigram-223653|access-date=2021-03-13|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en}}{{Cite news|title=CPI(M) fields Minakshi Mukherjee against Mamata Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/assembly-elections/west-bengal/cpim-fields-minakshi-mukherjee-against-mamata-banerjee-suvendu-adhikari-from-nandigram/articleshow/81433336.cms|access-date=2021-03-13|archive-date=10 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310145325/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/assembly-elections/west-bengal/cpim-fields-minakshi-mukherjee-against-mamata-banerjee-suvendu-adhikari-from-nandigram/articleshow/81433336.cms|url-status=live}}
Early life and education
Minakshi was born in Kulti, West Bengal.{{cite news |last1=Sarkar |first1=Joydeep |title=Minakshi Mukherjee Is Testament to the Left's Youth-Ward Shift. But Is it Enough? |url=https://thewire.in/politics/minakshi-mukherjee-cpim-left-bengal-youth |access-date=24 March 2024 |work=The Wire |date=12 January 2024 |archive-date=23 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240323083421/https://thewire.in/politics/minakshi-mukherjee-cpim-left-bengal-youth |url-status=live }} She completed schooling at Jaladhi Kumari Devi Uchcha Balika Vidyalaya in Kulti.{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Nishant |title=West Bengal Assembly Election 2021: Key candidates in poll fray amid high-octane battle for eastern state |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/west-bengal/article/west-bengal-assembly-election-2021-key-candidates-in-poll-fray-amid-high-octane-battle-for-eastern-state/737869 |access-date=20 May 2021 |work=TimesNowNews |date=27 March 2021 |archive-date=21 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921181223/https://www.timesnownews.com/india/west-bengal/article/west-bengal-assembly-election-2021-key-candidates-in-poll-fray-amid-high-octane-battle-for-eastern-state/737869 |url-status=live }} Her graduation was from Banwarilal Bhalotia College in Asansol and she later completed a master's degree in political science from Burdwan University.{{cite news |title=Minakshi Mukerjee seeks to regain CPI(M)'s lost glory in Nandigram amid clash of titans |url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/minakshi-mukerjee-seeks-regain-cpi-074240072.html |access-date=20 May 2021 |work=Yahoo News |agency=PTI |date=30 March 2021 |archive-date=20 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520000656/https://in.news.yahoo.com/minakshi-mukerjee-seeks-regain-cpi-074240072.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=FP Research |title=West Bengal Assembly election 2021, Minakshi Mukherjee profile: CPM candidate to battle heavyweights Mamata Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikari |url=https://www.firstpost.com/politics/west-bengal-assembly-election-2021-minakshi-mukherjee-profile-cpm-candidate-to-battle-heavyweights-mamata-banerjee-suvendu-adhikari-9450081.html |access-date=20 May 2021 |work=FirstPost |date=23 March 2021 |archive-date=20 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520003505/https://www.firstpost.com/politics/west-bengal-assembly-election-2021-minakshi-mukherjee-profile-cpm-candidate-to-battle-heavyweights-mamata-banerjee-suvendu-adhikari-9450081.html |url-status=live }}
Political career
Minakshi Mukherjee started her activism through Students' Federation of India in her college days.{{Cite web|title=CM ममता बनर्जी और BJP का खेल बिगाड़ने आई यह लड़की, जानिए कौन है जो नौकरी छोड़कर लड़ रही चुनाव|url=https://hindi.asianetnews.com/other-states/west-bengal-election-left-alliance-gave-ticket-meenakshi-mukherjee-from-nandigram-against-mamata-banerjee-kpr-qpt6k7|access-date=2021-03-13|website=Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd|language=hi|archive-date=8 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208134017/https://hindi.asianetnews.com/other-states/west-bengal-election-left-alliance-gave-ticket-meenakshi-mukherjee-from-nandigram-against-mamata-banerjee-kpr-qpt6k7|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=মনোনয়ন জমা দিলেন নন্দীগ্রামের বামপ্রার্থী মীনাক্ষী|url=https://eisamay.indiatimes.com/elections/assembly-elections/west-bengal/news/west-bengal-assembly-election-2021-cpim-candidate-of-nandigram-minakshi-mukherjee-files-her-nomination/articleshow/81467055.cms|access-date=2021-03-13|website=Ei Samay|language=bn|archive-date=21 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921181232/https://eisamay.com/elections/assembly-elections/west-bengal/news/west-bengal-assembly-election-2021-cpim-candidate-of-nandigram-minakshi-mukherjee-files-her-nomination/articleshow/81467055.cms|url-status=live}} She was later inducted into the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) local committee in 2008. Her leadership and public speaking skills helped her rise within DYFI, and by 2018, she became the state president of DYFI in West Bengal.{{Cite web|title=West Bengal Election 2021: 'দাদা' 'দিদি'-র বিরুদ্ধে নন্দীগ্রামে লড়বেন যুবনেত্রী মীনাক্ষি|url=https://eisamay.indiatimes.com/elections/assembly-elections/west-bengal/news/dyfi-west-bengal-state-president-minakshi-mukherjee-will-contest-from-nandigram-seat/articleshow/81432259.cms|access-date=2021-03-13|website=Ei Samay|language=bn|archive-date=13 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313173946/https://eisamay.indiatimes.com/elections/assembly-elections/west-bengal/news/dyfi-west-bengal-state-president-minakshi-mukherjee-will-contest-from-nandigram-seat/articleshow/81432259.cms|url-status=live}} In the same year, she also joined the state committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in West Bengal.
In the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly Election, she contested as the CPI(M) candidate in the high-profile constituency Nandigram,{{cite news |last1=Mitra |first1=Atri |title=In Nandigram high decibel battle, a faint cheer for CPM |url=https://indianexpress.com/elections/in-nandigram-high-decibel-battle-a-faint-cheer-for-cpm-7249765/ |access-date=20 May 2021 |work=The Indian Express |date=29 March 2021 |archive-date=20 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520002104/https://indianexpress.com/elections/in-nandigram-high-decibel-battle-a-faint-cheer-for-cpm-7249765/ |url-status=live }} against the Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee (the West Bengal Chief Minister) and the BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari.{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=Dharmendra Pradhan, Smriti Irani by side, Suvendu Adhikari files papers|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/dharmendra-pradhan-smriti-irani-by-side-suvendu-adhikari-files-papers-224384|access-date=2021-03-13|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en|archive-date=13 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313031327/https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/dharmendra-pradhan-smriti-irani-by-side-suvendu-adhikari-files-papers-224384|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|last=Singh|first=Shiv Sahay|date=2021-03-10|title=West Bengal Assembly elections {{!}} Mamata Banerjee files nomination from Nandigram|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/elections/west-bengal-assembly/west-bengal-assembly-election-mamata-banerjee-files-nomination-from-nandigram/article34035419.ece|access-date=2021-03-13|issn=0971-751X|archive-date=21 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240921181224/https://www.thehindu.com/elections/west-bengal-assembly/west-bengal-assembly-election-mamata-banerjee-files-nomination-from-nandigram/article34035419.ece|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=West Bengal Assembly polls 2021: CPI(M) fields Minakshi Mukherjee against Mamata Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikari|url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/west-bengal-assembly-polls-2021-cpim-fields-minakshi-mukherjee-against-mamata-banerjee-suvendu-adhikari|access-date=2021-03-13|website=Free Press Journal|language=en|archive-date=15 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315200739/https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/west-bengal-assembly-polls-2021-cpim-fields-minakshi-mukherjee-against-mamata-banerjee-suvendu-adhikari|url-status=live}} Minakshi represented the Left-Congress-ISF alliance (Sanjukta Morcha) in Vidhan Sabha election.{{cite news |last1=Dwary |first1=Anurag |title=Meet The 36-Year-Old Up Against Mamata Banerjee, Ex-Aide Suvendu Adhikari |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/meet-36-year-old-minakshi-mukherjee-up-against-mamata-banerjee-ex-aide-suvendu-adhikari-2401290 |access-date=20 May 2021 |work=NDTV |date=29 March 2021 |archive-date=20 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520001729/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/meet-36-year-old-minakshi-mukherjee-up-against-mamata-banerjee-ex-aide-suvendu-adhikari-2401290 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|date=2021-03-10|title=CPI(M)'s Minakshi Mukherjee to Contest From Nandigram|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/bengal-polls-cpims-minakshi-mukherjee-to-contest-nandigram|access-date=2021-03-13|website=TheQuint|language=en|archive-date=10 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310143233/https://www.thequint.com/news/india/bengal-polls-cpims-minakshi-mukherjee-to-contest-nandigram|url-status=live}}
On 11 February 2021, she participated in the 2021 Nabanna Abhijan from College Street to protest for jobs that was intended to present a list of demands to chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna, which ended with conflicting claims of how many protesters were hospitalized after the police responded, and prompted a 12-hour strike by the Left Front against police brutality.{{Cite web|title=Police and Left youths clash, bandh today|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/police-and-left-youths-clash-bandh-today/cid/1806436|access-date=2021-03-13|website=www.telegraphindia.com|archive-date=12 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212010650/https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/police-and-left-youths-clash-bandh-today/cid/1806436|url-status=live}} The injuries of the Nabanna protestors became a political issue in the upcoming election, and Mukherjee continued to emphasize the need for jobs in her campaign.{{Cite web|title=Remixing songs, reinventing a party: How the Left is trying to draw Bengal's millennials|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2021/mar/08/remixing-a-song-reinventing-a-party-how-the-left-is-trying-to-draw-bengals-millennials-2273900.html|access-date=2021-03-13|website=The New Indian Express|date=9 March 2021|archive-date=10 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310060253/https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2021/mar/08/remixing-a-song-reinventing-a-party-how-the-left-is-trying-to-draw-bengals-millennials-2273900.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Bengal Polls: নন্দীগ্রামে মীনাক্ষী, জামুড়িয়ায় জেএনইউয়ের ঐশী, যুব মুখেই ভরসা সিপিএমের|url=https://www.anandabazar.com/elections/west-bengal-assembly-election/wb-election-cpm-congress-isf-alliance-selects-dyfi-state-president-minakshi-mukherjee-for-nandigram-seat-against-mamata-banerjee-suvendu-adhikari-dgtl/cid/1270361|access-date=2021-03-13|website=www.anandabazar.com|language=bn|archive-date=11 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210311072900/https://www.anandabazar.com/elections/west-bengal-assembly-election/wb-election-cpm-congress-isf-alliance-selects-dyfi-state-president-minakshi-mukherjee-for-nandigram-seat-against-mamata-banerjee-suvendu-adhikari-dgtl/cid/1270361|url-status=live}} However, she did not win the election.{{fact|date=July 2024}}
On 5 October 2021, she became the first woman to serve as the state secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India.{{cite news |title=DYFI brings Minakshi Mukherjee to secretary post |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/dyfi-brings-minakshi-mukherjee-to-secretary-post/cid/1307225 |access-date=13 November 2021 |work=Anandabazar |date=5 October 2021 |language=Bengali |archive-date=13 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113191113/https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/dyfi-brings-minakshi-mukherjee-to-secretary-post/cid/1307225 |url-status=live }}
In 2022, Mukherjee was prominent in the protest against the death of Anish Khan and briefly incarcerated. In 2024, she participated in the Left Front Grand Brigade Rally in Kolkata.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category|Minakshi Mukherjee}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mukherjee, Minakshi}}
Category:University of Burdwan alumni
Category:Women in West Bengal politics
Category:Indian women activists
Category:21st-century Indian women politicians
Category:21st-century Indian politicians
Category:Communist Party of India (Marxist) politicians from West Bengal