Mamata Banerjee’s slogan playbook: The art of turning taunts into tunes

From catchy rhymes to quirky one-liners, Mamata Banerjee has a knack for turning political messaging into memorable slogans. Some are aimed at rivals, others rally supporters, but many have taken on a life of their own beyond political gatherings, finding a second home in memes, reels and social media parodies.

Here are five of her most memorable slogans that caught the internet’s attention.

1. 'Vanish, Vanish, Yes Papa'

At the INDIA bloc rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on November 1, 2026, Mamata Banerjee used a parody of the familiar children's rhyme 'Johnny Johnny Yes Papa' to target Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the BJP over allegations of electoral manipulation.

She recited lines including:

'Vote chori, yes papa'

'Loktantra chori, yes papa'

'Loot kiya BJP papa'

'Who is behind the curtain? BJP papa'

The parody was part of her allegations of electoral manipulation and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

At the same rally, she also took a swipe at the CEC by calling him 'Vanish Kumar'.

'Vanish Kumar ji, when will you vanish? We are waiting,' she said.

2. 'CAA, CAA, Chhi Chhi'

Mamata Banerjee used the slogan to express her strong opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), passed by Parliament in December 2019. Banerjee's repeated 'CAA, CAA, Chhi Chhi', especially the playful-sounding 'chhi chhi', gave the chant a rhythm that was easy to imitate and turn into social media content. The slogan soon caught attention beyond political rallies. Its repetitive rhythm, expressive delivery and catchy 'chhi chhi' refrain made it easy to imitate, turning a protest chant into meme material.

3. The 'Kutush Kutush' 'rock and mice' analogy

Another memorable remark came during protests against the CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). Responding to a comparison in which the BJP was likened to a rock, Banerjee used the image of mice to suggest that even something seemingly small could break it down.

'We are mice if you think you are rock. We will bite you into bits,' she said.

The analogy turned a political exchange into a memorable line, using an everyday image to convey resistance.

4. 'Hamba Hamba, Ramba Ramba, Kamba Kamba'

One of Banerjee's most widely circulated soundbites came during a rally in Murshidabad in February 2021. She used a rhythmic, nonsensical chant to mock former Trinamool Congress leaders who had defected to the BJP.

Her reported line went: 'Hamba hamba, ramba ramba, kamba kamba, dumba dumba, bumba bumba, bomba bomba.'

Banerjee used the chant to compare the defectors' rhetoric to the noise made by restless cows. She also said the sooner they left the party, the better.

The seven-second clip quickly spread across social media, spawning memes, remixes and dance edits. Its unusual rhythm and playful delivery turned the political taunt into a viral soundbite.

5. 'Korbo, Lorbo, Jitbo'

Meaning 'We will do, we will fight, we will win', the slogan is one of Bengal's recognisable rallying cries. Popularised as the anthem of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), it was later adopted by Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for political and public mobilisation.

Banerjee has used the phrase beyond election campaigns. In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she invoked the slogan to express Bengal's determination to fight the health crisis, saying the state would 'Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo' in this battle.

The slogan also featured in TMC's 2026 campaign messaging, with party videos using it while raising concerns over the BJP's positions on the NRC and the possibility of detention camps.

And the list goes on!

Apart from these, Banerjee has popularised several other slogans that have become closely associated with her political campaigns. 'Maa, Mati, Manush' (Mother, Motherland, People) became the defining slogan of the TMC's 2011 Assembly election campaign, while 'Khela Hobe' (The game is on) emerged as a rallying cry during the 2021 elections.

Other examples include 'Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chay' (Bengal wants its own daughter), 'Thanda Thanda Cool Cool, Abar Jitbe Trinamool' (Cool and easy, Trinamool will win again), used during the 2016 Assembly election campaign, and 'Korbo, Lorbo, Jitbo', which also became part of the party's wider political messaging.

Their short, rhythmic structure makes them easy to remember and repeat at rallies. Once clipped into short videos, the same lines can travel beyond political gatherings and become memes, remixes and social media talking points.

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