Mamata Banerjee had almost hit the jackpot when she quit the Vajpayee ministry on the price hike issue. But she lost it all with one swift stroke ... with her decision to withdraw her resignation ... .... By resigning and withdrawing Mamata made the biggest mistake of her political career. This is bound to affect her bid for the Writers Building ....

Mamata still appears undecisive about her political alignments in West Bengal. Her indecisiveness made her play safe: return to the cabinet. In her mind she had fixed the year end as the cut off date, by which she would have decided one way or the other. But the price hike seemed too good an opportunity to miss.

Breaking with the BJP, and aligning with the Congress, would give her the advantage of the minority votes, which constitute almost a quarter of the electorate in West Bengal. The alliance with the Trinamool would also have strengthened the Congress ... Staying with the BJP would rob her of the Muslim. votes, which then would switch towards her main opponent, the Left Front. (Source: The Indian Express, 16 October, 2000)