Mahua Moitra
Mahua Moitra | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 12, 1974 Labac, Cachar district, Assam, India |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, former investment banker |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Known for | Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha; Member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly; Trinamool Congress leader |
Mahua Moitra (; born 12 October 1974) is a prominent Indian politician and ex-investment banker, recognized for her passionate oratory in the Indian parliament. She secured victory in the 2019 Indian general election as a candidate representing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from Krishnanagar and served as a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha between 2019 and 2023 before being expelled. Subsequently, she regained her seat in the 2024 Indian general election.
Between 2016 and 2019, Moitra was the elected representative for Karimpur in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, while also holding positions such as general secretary and national spokesperson within the AITC. On 13 November 2023, she was designated as the AITC District President for Krishnanagar (Nadia North). Prior to her political career, she was employed as an investment banker at JPMorgan Chase.
On 8 December 2023, following recommendations by the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee concerning a cash-for-query controversy involving the sharing of her NIC portal login details, she was disqualified and expelled from the Lok Sabha.
Early life
Born on 12 October 1974 in Labac, Cachar district, Assam, Moitra is the daughter of Dwipendra Lal Moitra. She hails from a Bengali Hindu Brahmin background and has one sister.
She completed her undergraduate studies in economics and mathematics at Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, graduating in 1998.
Moitra’s professional experience includes working as an investment banker with JPMorgan Chase in both New York City and London.
Political career
In 2009, Moitra resigned from her position as vice-president at JPMorgan Chase London to pursue a career in Indian politics. She initially became involved with the Indian Youth Congress, the youth division of the Indian National Congress, collaborating closely with Rahul Gandhi on the "Aam Admi Ka Sipahi" initiative. The following year, she joined the ranks of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC).
She was elected to represent the Karimpur seat in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly during the 2016 elections. Later, she won a seat in the 17th Lok Sabha from the Krishnanagar constituency in West Bengal.
On 13 November 2021, Moitra was entrusted with overseeing TMC’s efforts in Goa as party in-charge ahead of the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election.
During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, she achieved a commanding win by a margin of 56,705 votes, marking her return to parliament with a strong mandate.
Political issues
On 26 June 2019, Moitra brought attention to what she described as "seven early signs of fascism" emerging under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, cautioning that the constitution MPs pledged to uphold was at risk.
On 8 February 2021, she delivered a critical speech targeting both the judiciary and government within parliament. She contended that judicial integrity had been compromised after allegations of sexual harassment against a sitting chief justice (Ranjan Gogoi) were followed by him overseeing his own inquiry, exonerating himself, and then accepting an upper house nomination accompanied by Z+ security post-retirement. This address sparked significant controversy; members of the ruling party labeled it 'objectionable' and claimed it breached parliamentary protocols by naming a senior authority figure. Conversely, opposition members defended her remarks as grounded in documented facts. Subsequently, BJP leaders Nishikant Dubey and P. P. Chaudhary filed a privilege motion against her, resulting in speaker Om Birla ordering removal of her statements from official records.
On 7 April 2022, Moitra argued within parliament that the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022 represented an intrusion more severe than surveillance laws enacted during colonial times in India.
Scrutiny of Adani and Parliamentary Expulsion
Moitra has consistently expressed strong criticism towards Gautam Adani, his association with Narendra Modi, and the ruling administration. After allegations surfaced regarding stock market manipulation by the Adani Group, she, together with Rahul Gandhi and Jairam Ramesh, called for a thorough investigation into the conglomerate. Prior to international media attention, she had already raised alarms about the questionable nature of the Adani Group's operations.
On 14 October 2023, BJP parliamentarian Nishikant Dubey along with Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai lodged a complaint with the CBI and submitted it to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and the Ethics Committee. They accused Moitra of accepting funds from Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for raising parliamentary questions against Adani. Subsequently, on 19 October, Hiranandani became an approver and provided an affidavit.
Moitra refuted these claims, expressing her readiness for any investigation by both the CBI and parliamentary ethics authorities. She acknowledged that she had shared her NIC portal credentials with Hiranandani, a personal acquaintance, as well as other staff members—a practice common among MPs—but firmly denied receiving monetary compensation for any parliamentary queries. She alleged that Hiranandani’s accusations were made under coercion or inducement, emphasizing that those criticizing the Adani-Modi alliance often face retaliatory actions.
On 9 November 2023, the parliamentary ethics committee recommended her removal from the Lok Sabha on grounds of accepting gifts and favors from Hiranandani. Following this, on 8 December 2023, the Lok Sabha passed a resolution to expel Moitra based on the committee’s findings. She has since approached the Supreme Court challenging this decision.
Amidst the ongoing 'cash-for-query' investigation during the 2024 Indian general election, on 23 March 2024, the CBI conducted a raid at Moitra’s residence in Kolkata while she was campaigning in the Krishnanagar.
Legal Proceedings
On 10 January 2017, Moitra filed a police complaint against then Bharatiya Janata Party MP and Union Minister Babul Supriyo, accusing him of "insulting her modesty" during a televised national debate. This complaint was subsequently dismissed by the Calcutta High Court. Soon after, Supriyo issued legal notices to Moitra and TMC MPs Saugata Roy and Tapas Paul, alleging defamation linked to their purported association with the Rose Valley ponzi scheme.
In 2020, Moitra initiated a defamation lawsuit against Zee Media, which responded with a countersuit accusing her of making disparaging remarks about the channel. She was granted bail and faced trial in a Delhi court. Ultimately, she prevailed with all charges against her dismissed, although her original defamation case remains unresolved.
On 5 July 2022 at the India Today Conclave East, Moitra remarked on a film poster portraying goddess Kali smoking a cigarette, stating, "Kaali to me is a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess." These comments triggered police complaints filed by the Bengal BJP across Kolkata and five districts in West Bengal as well as in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The All India Trinamool Congress, her political party, distanced itself from her remarks by clarifying that they represented her personal views and were not endorsed by the party.
Personal life
Moitra was previously married to Danish financial expert Lars Brorson, but the marriage ended in divorce. Subsequently, she maintained a relationship with lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai for approximately three years.
In May 2025, she entered into matrimony with Pinaki Misra, a former BJD Member of Parliament from Odisha, in a ceremony held in Germany.