La Ganesan exit may end brief truce between Bengal govt and governor
CV Ananda Bose appointed as “regular governor” of Bengal; many BJP leaders in private had maintained they were missing Jagdeep Dhankhar, who had frequent run-ins with the state government
Will the brief amity between the state government and the Raj Bhavan be over now? This concern is weighing on the power corridors of the state ever since La Ganesan was relieved of his additional responsibility as West Bengal governor following murmurs of resentment in the BJP about his gubernatorial role in the state.
CV Ananda Bose was appointed as “regular governor” of West Bengal on Thursday evening, barely 72-hours after BJP MLA and leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari was apparently peeved over not getting an audience with Ganesan.
Peeved Adhikari
The BJP legislative party in Bengal led by Adhikari had gone to submit a representation to him on Monday seeking immediate ouster of minister of state for correctional homes Akhil Giri for his controversial remarks on President Droupadi Murmu.
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The delegation could not meet him as Ganesan, who is also the Governor of Manipur, was in Imphal that day.
The state BJP, however, did not take his absence kindly for it had conveyed him “well in advance” about its plan of submitting the representation seeking Giri’s dismissal.
“Even in the past, he had refused to give us an audience. This time we had sent an email seeking his time two days prior to our visit to Raj Bhavan,” said a state BJP leader.
Adhikari had reportedly conveyed his disappointment to the party’s central leadership after returning from Raj Bhavan. He was also unhappy that the governor did not issue any statement holding the “government accountable” for the “derogatory” remarks of one of its ministers on President.
Many BJP leaders in private had maintained that they were missing Jagdeep Dhankhar, who had frequent run-ins with the state government during his nearly three years stint in the state. Similar lament was heard from Bishnupur MP Saumitra Khan after the Giri-episode.
Bumps on the road
Manipur governor Ganesan was given the additional charge of West Bengal in July after Dhankhar was nominated as the vice-president candidate by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
There have been hiccups in the relations between him and the state BJP from the day he took oath as Bengal governor.
Adhikari had claimed he was not invited for the programme as per “instructions” of the state government.
The relation came to a breaking point when Ganesan invited Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to attend a family function in Chennai earlier this month.
The proverbial last straw was the Giri episode.
State BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar had on Wednesday claimed that the state would soon get a new governor who would follow the footsteps of Dhankhar. True to his prediction, Bose’s appointment has been announced.
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“The President of India is pleased to appoint Dr C V Ananda Bose as regular Governor of West Bengal,” a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said.
His appointment will take effect on the date he assumes charge of his office.
Not new to Bengal
The 1977-batch retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer is known for his close proximity with the RSS, the ideological fountainhead of the BJP.
Bose, who is currently serving as advisor to the Meghalaya government, is not new to Bengal. Before joining the administrative service, he worked as a probationary officer at a Kolkata branch of the State Bank of India.
His appointment, many in the state government fear, will again make the relation between the government and the governor tumultuous.
