Mamata Banerjee, the former Chief Minister of West Bengal, India, is not only a prominent political figure but also a talented painter. One of her paintings was sold for ₹1.8 crore (approximately $240,000 USD), drawing significant attention from both art enthusiasts and political commentators. This particular sale took place during an exhibition at Gallerie 88 in Kolkata in April 2011, where all her paintings were sold within three days, with prices ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹3 lakh per piece. Banerjee's artwork often depicts themes like flowers, nature, and the rural lifestyle of Bengal, created using acrylic and oil colors. However, the sale has also been mired in controversy, particularly due to the involvement of Sudipta Sen, a promoter of a chit fund company, who purchased a painting for ₹1.8 crore. This led to allegations of black money, with the opposition criticizing the transaction while the Trinamool Congress party defended it as a legitimate art sale. Between 2011 and 2013, the party reportedly earned over ₹6.5 crore from the sale of Banerjee's paintings.