In a touching tribute to the strength of grassroot democracy, Kalita Majhi affectionately known as ‘Kalita Didi’, swore-in as a minister of the new West Bengal cabinet on Monday.
A few years ago, Kalita Majhi used to earn a living by washing dishes, sweeping houses, and doing laundry as a domestic helper in other people’s homes. Now, backed by unprecedented public support, she has made the transition from cleaning houses to cleaning the administration and grabbing headlines across India.
Election from the Ausgram Assembly constituency reserved for the Scheduled Caste community, under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket, Majhi created an awe-inspiring feat from the Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal.
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Life of gratitude
Majhi hails from Ward No. 3 (Mazpukur Par) in the Guskara Municipality of the Purba Bardhaman district. She leads a tough life as her husband is a daily wage laborer, and her son, Partha, recently wrote his Higher Secondary exams.
Majhi had always been working as a domestic helper in many houses because of her family’s financial constraints. However, her sincerity, honesty, and strong roots among the community caught the attention of regional politicians. They felt that she was the real representative of the masses in the true sense.
The turning point in 2026 following a 2021 defeat
It has been a difficult five-year journey that helped Kalita Majhi make a mark at the state cabinet level. At first, it took everyone by surprise when the BJP nominated her as the candidate from Ausgram constituency (Bolpur Lok Sabha constituency) during the 2021 Assembly elections. Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Abhedanand Thander emerged as the winner of the election and received 100,392 votes. Meanwhile, Kalita Majhi received 88,577 votes, resulting in a deficit of 11,815 votes.
However, without getting disheartened, Majhi went on to work hard in the field for the next five years. Finally, the BJP recognized her goodwill among the masses and nominated her for the next election as well.
Confronted with a challenging triangular fight involving the formidable TMC contestant, Shyamaprasad Lohar, who is a notable lawyer and the Chairman of Purba Bardhaman Zilla Parishad, and the CPI(M)’s Chanchal Kumar Majhi, Kalita Majhi made a miraculous comeback. She secured an impressive 107,692 votes, convincingly winning the fight against her TMC competitor by a clear difference of 12,535 votes.
‘Never imaged this even in my dreams’: A humble pledge of service
Tearful moments were experienced when she approached to swear her oath as a minister. She felt a sense of fulfillment after reaching this milestone in her career and was grateful for it.
“I never expected this, nor did I ever imagine in my wildest dreams that I would reach such a position in life. I do not know what the party saw in me to bestow such an immense level of trust. I will work with everything I have to honor this responsibility. This is a celebration for my community. Only the BJP and Modi Ji could give a poor woman like me such an opportunity,” Majhi stated.
In a heart-warming turn of events, the very households where Majhi previously worked as a domestic helper burst into tears of joy upon hearing the news, joining local party workers in celebrating her victory.
Local expectations
With “Kalita Didi” entering Nabanna as a minister, residents of the long-neglected Ausgram Junglemahal region are hopeful for a socio-economic transformation. Local neighbors and community leaders have put forward three immediate developmental requests for their new minister:
Multi-Specialty Healthcare: The immediate construction of a well-equipped hospital to serve the rural population.
Road Infrastructure: Remodeling and upgrading the long-neglected local road network to improve regional connectivity.
Public Safety: The establishment of a dedicated local fire station to handle emergencies in the rural belt.
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