Bengal Governor quits ahead of Assembly polls; Mamata alleges pressure

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose resigned unexpectedly days before the Assembly election schedule is expected. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock and said Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi would hold additional charge, alleging possible pressure from the Centre

Kolkata: In a sudden move days before the Assembly elections in West Bengal are scheduled to be announced, Governor CV Ananda Bose resigned from his chair in New Delhi on Thursday evening.

A “shocked” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Tamil Nadu Governor and ex-deputy NSA RN Ravi will hold additional charge of West Bengal following Bose’s exit.

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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’s enough for me.” He, however, did not disclose the grounds of his sudden resignation and whether there was any political pressure that may have prompted his decision.

“I have learnt from Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) that RN Ravi will replace CV Ananda Bose as Bengal Governor,” Banerjee wrote on her social media handle.

Banerjee alleged that there’s a likelihood of Bose being forced to resign “under pressure” from Union Home Minister Amit Shah ahead of the Assembly elections.

In a post on X, Banerjee said she was “shocked and deeply concerned” by the sudden development and claimed that she was not certain of the reasons behind it.

“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,” Banerjee said.

The chief minister further alleged that although Shah informed her about Ravi replacing Bose, she was not consulted in the matter.

“Union Home Minister just informed me that Shri R.N. Ravi is being appointed as Governor of West Bengal. He never consulted with me as per the established convention in this regard,” she said.

Banerjee maintained that such actions undermine the spirit of the Constitution and strike at the foundation of the country’s federal structure.

“The Centre must respect the principles of cooperative federalism and refrain from taking unilateral decisions that erode democratic conventions and the dignity of states,” she added.