Mamata Banerjee presents one of her paintings to Sudipendu Dutta, a physically-challenged student of the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy, as singer Usha Uthup looks on. Picture by Amit Datta

Calcutta, Dec. 23: The bidding started at Rs 500. It stopped, rather reluctantly, at Rs 1,10,000. The canvas that inspired the scramble was Sunshine Yellow, by artist Mamata Banerjee.

The Trinamul Congress chief?s debut exhibition as a painter was a success on a scale that took everyone by surprise ? including the creator. ?No one can ever expect success, but the important thing is that people appreciate good work,? smiled Mamata.

The buyer was Samajwadi Party?s Vijay Upadhyay, who insisted there was ?nothing political? about the purchase.

Two other paintings were sold at an auction at Swabhumi today which opened the doors on a week-long exhibition, 25 Hours in a Day. The second canvas was Mirror Image, which went for Rs 55,000 to a buyer who identified himself only as Tapan. This was, the artist later revealed, inspired by images of ?unloved? conjoined twins. The third, titled Despair, was bagged by singer Usha Uthup for Rs 65,000.

?There is not much in my work. These people forced me to do this,? said a bashful Mamata before the show. But the appreciation was well received. ?I finished that first painting in 14 hours straight a few weeks ago, with just two toilet breaks,? she gushed with childlike enthusiasm, after the buyers had spoken. The big canvases were recently created during a trip to Delhi.

For mayor Subrata Mukherjee, it was a ?sentimental? day. ?I have an emotional attachment to these paintings,? he declared.

A couple of years ago, during a high-powered political meeting, Mukherjee spotted Mamata doodling on paper and throwing it away, and stopped her. ?Some of it may be good, some may be ordinary, but there is still a creative thought behind this,? he recalled saying.

Mamata then graduated to a sketchbook, to preserve her outpourings. Mother Gayatri Banerjee, who made a rare appearance at today?s show, also had a role to play in Mamata?s artistic career and graduation to canvas. ?My mother bought me two paintbrushes for Rs 30,? the MP and author of 17 books said.

After the crowd thinned, she provided some insight into her style. ?Some is paintbrush work, others are with the tube? Like if you see one tree I painted, it is very detailed. I took the brush and very slowly painted it, resulting in an effect that is not possible with broad strokes.?

The bidding for the first painting, a bright floral work, spiralled out of control with Sudharshan Ghosh Dastidar ? Trinamul?s Kakali Ghosh Dastidar?s husband, egged on by other partymen ? and Upadhyay both setting their sights on it. ?There was a plant and there were some flowers. To me, this represents good luck,? explained Upadhyay, who plans to hang the work at home. ?This is not about politics. Mamata has become a very good artist,? he said.

Part of the proceeds will go to three charities, including the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy. In a spontaneous gesture, the painter also decided to give Rs 50,000 from the sale to the family of Dempo footballer Junior, who recently died in a match in Bangalore.