Bengal Governor Quits Ahead of Elections; Mamata Alleges Union Govt Ignored Convention
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New Delhi: West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has resigned from his post, reports said on Thursday. The move has triggered a sharp political reaction from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who claimed the decision may be linked to the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.
Bose, who had several public disagreements with the state government during his tenure, is currently in New Delhi. After his resignation, Governor Bose reached Bang Bhawan, PTI reports.
The reasons for his resignation have not been officially disclosed. Bose, who was appointed Bengal Governor on November 17, 2022, told PTI, "Yes, I have resigned. I have been the Governor of Bengal for three-and-a-half years; it is enough for me."
In her first reaction, Banerjee said she was "shocked and deeply concerned" by the development. She suggested that the governor may have faced pressure from the Union government in the run-up to the elections.
"The reasons behind his resignation are not known to me at this moment. However, given the prevailing circumstances, I would not be surprised if the Governor has been subjected to some pressure from the Union Home Minister to serve certain political interests on the eve of the forthcoming State Assembly elections," she said in a post on X.
Banerjee also claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed her that R.N. Ravi, currently the Tamil Nadu Governor, would be appointed as Bose’s successor.
She alleged that the Union government did not consult her on the appointment, calling it a violation of established conventions and a blow to India’s federal structure.
President Droupadi Murmu will also visit West Bengal from March 6 to 7, during which she will launch the Darjeeling Hill Festival marking the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram and inaugurate the 'Root & Rhythms' exhibition at Lok Bhavan in Darjeeling.
A statement from the President's secretariat said she would virtually inaugurate a Platinum Jubilee flagship programme on women’s leadership and empowerment at IIT Kharagpur and attend the 9th International Santal Conference in Darjeeling on March 7.
Meanwhile, the Congress party's General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh, said on X:
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