Didi, celebs grace TMC leader's Christmas party

KOLKATA: There were Christmas parties galore on Saturday but the one that took the cake was held in a quiet corner of south Kolkata. None other than Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee who attended a midnight mass on Friday graced the occasion. Thrown by a Trinamool leader at his Anwar Shah Road residence, the party had several luminaries from the entertainment world digging into a Christmas cake with Didi.
It was a small gathering of around 30 people unlike the lavish post-Puja parties thrown by Mamata.There were the regulars, like painters Jogen Choudhury and Suvaprasanna, the latter dressed up as Santa Claus. Musicians Rupam Islam of Bangla band Fossils and Upal and Anidyo of Chandrabindoo joined the party, too. Then, there was Rituparno Ghosh, fresh from his successful acting debut in "Arekti Premer Golpo".
Didi looked relaxed and content even as she went around chatting with her fellow invitees. She had a piece of the large Christmas cake served at the party but didn't join the dinner. She had tea and biscuits, though. Theatre personalities Bratya Basu, Shaonli Mitra and Arpita Ghosh gave her company along with educationist Sunanda Sanyal. Former civil servant Debabrata Bandopadhyay was present as well.
The gathering had three unknown faces non-resident Bengalis who have returned
to the city to work for Trinamool Congress and Bengal. According to those present at the party, Didi keenly interacted with them and looked happy with the discussion.
Carrying on with the Christmas spirit, Mamata who sent out Christmas cards and cakes this year cut two more cakes at the Trinamool Congress Bhavan on Sunday evening. The cakes were distributed among party workers, journalists and securitymen. The firebrand leader seems to be soaking in the Yuletide spirit with gusto this season.
"Didi looked relaxed and comfortable and there was no trace of the firebrand speaker we see on TV. It was quite an experience being at the party," said a guest who got to meet the leader for the first time.