Mahua Moitra, born on October 12, 1974, is an Indian politician with a tumultuous political career. Hailing from Labac in the Cachar district of Assam, Mahua Moitra was born into a Bengali Hindu Brahmin family and attended Gokhale Memorial Girls’ School in Kolkata. Her academic journey led her to graduate in economics and mathematics from Mount Holyoke College South Hadley in Massachusetts, United States, in 1998.
Mahua Moitra image courtesy X account
Before venturing into politics, Mahua Moitra had a successful career as an investment banker, working for JPMorgan Chase in New York City and London. In 2009, she made a bold decision, resigning from her position as vice-president at JPMorgan Chase in London to enter Indian politics. Her political journey began with the Indian Youth Congress, the youth wing of the Indian National Congress party, where she worked closely with Rahul Gandhi in the “Aam Admi Ka Sipahi” project.
Mahua Moitra’s switch to the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in 2010 marked a turning point in her political career. She was elected from the Karimpur constituency in Nadia district, West Bengal, in the Legislative Assembly elections held in 2016. Her rise within the party was evident as she served as the general secretary and national spokesperson of the AITC.
In the 2019 Indian general election, Mahua Moitra emerged victorious as an AITC candidate from Krishnanagar, securing a seat in the Lok Sabha. However, her political journey took a dark turn when she was disqualified and expelled from the Lok Sabha on December 8, 2023. The “Cash for Query” corruption incident and allegations of accepting bribes led to her downfall.
The controversy surrounding Moitra’s expulsion unfolded when Supreme Court advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai filed a complaint with the CBI, accusing her of corruption and money laundering. The complaint alleged that Moitra received favors from Darshan Hiranandani, the head of a rival conglomerate of the Adani Group, to ask parliamentary questions targeting Adani. Hiranandani turned approver, claiming that Moitra had given him access to her parliamentary account to post questions on her behalf.
Mahua Moitra vehemently denied these allegations, expressing her willingness to cooperate with any inquiry. However, revelations that she had given her parliamentary login credentials to Hiranandani for typing questions raised eyebrows. Mahua Moitra also admitted to receiving gifts from Hiranandani but insisted that they were exchanged as personal friends.
The parliamentary ethics panel recommended Moitra’s dismissal from the Lok Sabha on November 9, 2023, and on December 8, 2023, the Lok Sabha voted to expel her based on the committee’s report. Undeterred, Moitra approached the Supreme Court, challenging her expulsion.
Mahua Moitra’s political career has been marked not only by her involvement in the “Cash for Query” scandal but also by her vocal criticism of the Modi government. On June 26, 2019, she highlighted “seven early signs of fascism” in India under Narendra Modi’s leadership. Her outspoken nature continued with criticisms of the judiciary and the government in the parliament, causing uproar and privilege notices.
In April 2022, Mahua Moitra found herself embroiled in the ‘Kaali’ controversy, where she expressed her personal views on the goddess Kali during the India Today Conclave East. The All India Trinamool Congress distanced itself from her remarks, emphasizing that they were her personal views.
Mahua Moitra’s journey from an investment banker to a controversial political figure showcases the complexities of Indian politics. Her story is one of ambition, controversy, and challenges, leaving a lasting impact on the political landscape
