The Trinamul Congress performed well in Jungle Mahal districts and Murshidabad in the Assembly polls, but the number of ministers in Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet has left one area elated and the other disappointed.

Jungle Mahal — comprising four Bengal districts — has been rewarded with seven ministers in the third Mamata Banerjee government, while Murshidabad feels let down after she inducted two MLAs into her cabinet.

Trinamul had made a big turnaround in the Jungle Mahal after the party had conceded leads to the BJP in 31 of the 40 Assembly segments in the 2019 general election. In this election, Trinamul won 24 of the 40 Assembly seats.

The ruling party also breached the Congress bastion of Murshidabad and won 18 of the 20 seats that went to the polls. Election was not held on two seats because of the death of two candidates of Covid.

In the second Trinamul government, there were only four ministers from the Jungle Mahal.

Trinamul insiders have said it was very interesting that among the seven ministers, three are tribal women — Sandhyarani Tudu from Purulia’s Manbazar, Birbaha Hansda from Jhargram and Jyotsna Mandi from Bankura’s Ranibandh.

Four MLAs from West Midnapore were sworn in as ministers, including Manas Ranjan Bhunia.

Purulia got one minister.

Sandhyarani is the minister of state for Paschimanchal Unnayan Parishad with independent charge, while Jyotsna is the minister of state for food and supplies. Birbaha has been made the minister of state for forests.

“Mamata Banerjee has included representatives of two important communities — adivasis and Kurmis — from the Jungle Mahal in her ministry,” a Trinamul leader in West Midnapore said.

In contrast, a section of Trinamul leaders and people in Murshidabad feels let down by the district’s share in the cabinet.

“The decision to give two ministers of state to the district that gave Trinamul 18 MLAs is not fair. West Midnapore has contributed 13 MLAs to Trinamul’s tally and have got four ministers,” said Muzibur Rahaman, a retired college principal and resident of Behrampore.

A section of Trinamul leaders said when the district gave Trinamul only four MLAs there was one minister in Mamata’s team, but after getting 18 MLAs from Murshidabad, Mamata has picked two.

“In 2016, Trinamul won only four seats but got a minister of state. This time we expected more because of the district’s performance,” said a district Trinamul leader.

Abu Taher Khan, the party’s president in Murshidabad, however, said: “All hopes cannot be fulfilled and it is good that we have two ministers from our district.”