Mamata's paintings fetch Rs 50 lakh

Kolkata, Apr 4: Trinamool Congress chief, Mamata Banerjee, who exhibited her paintings for sale to raise fund for her party's poll expenses, received thumping appreciation from eminent artists and the organiser collected over Rs 50 lakh here today (Apr 4).

Of the 98 paintings displayed, proceeds of which will go to the party's mouthpiece ''Jago Bangla, 20 were sold on the first day of the three-day exhibition-cum-sale at a private art gallery. Three paintings were not for sale.

The buyers include industrialist Harsh Neotia, co-owner of IPL franchisee Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Jay Mehta and President of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), Jagmohan Dalmiya.

Inaugurated by eminent painter Jogen Chowdhury, the exhibition titled ''25 Hours In A Day'', was widely appreciated by painters Shuvaprasanna and Sameer Aich, dance exponent Amala Shankar, singer Dwijen Mukherjee and actress Sandhya Roy among others.

Trinamool Congress Vice-President Derek O'Brien said that the exhibition was the third in six years.

The first exhibition was held in 2005 generating an amount of Rs four lakh. The second one in 2007 fetched Rs 14 lakh and the entire proceeds were given to victims of Nandigram violence.

PTI