In a sudden political development, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose resigned from his post, weeks before the state is scheduled to go to assembly elections. The announcement came with little warning and no clear explanation, triggering sharp reactions from the state's ruling dispensation.
Bose, who took charge as the 22nd Governor of West Bengal in November 2022 after Jagdeep Dhankhar was moved to another assignment, submitted his resignation to the central government after serving just over three years in office. His term was originally slated to continue until November 2027.
News18 reported that Bose stepped down citing personal reasons, though no official statement has been released by either the Governor's office or the Rashtrapati Bhavan at the time of filing.
Within hours of the announcement, the central government named RN Ravi, currently serving as Governor of Tamil Nadu, as Bose's replacement in West Bengal.
Mamata Banerjee 'Shocked', Alleges Home Ministry Pressure
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responded swiftly and sharply to the development, expressing "shock" and "deep concern" over what she termed an undemocratic move orchestrated by the Union government.
In a post on X, Banerjee questioned the timing and circumstances of the resignation. "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 wrote.
The Chief Minister also took exception to the appointment of RN Ravi without prior consultation with her government, which she argued is a violation of established constitutional conventions.
"Such actions undermine the spirit of the Constitution of India and strike at the very foundation of our federal structure," Banerjee said. "The Centre must respect the principles of cooperative federalism and refrain from taking unilateral decisions that erode democratic conventions and the dignity of States."
A Tenure Marked by Friction
Bose's tenure as Governor was not without controversy. A former bureaucrat who served as Chief Secretary of Kerala, Bose frequently found himself at odds with the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government over a range of issues, including his visits to districts, meetings with officials, and comments on law and order situations.
His predecessor, Jagdeep Dhankhar, had an even more publicly contentious relationship with the state government, frequently sparring with Banerjee and her ministers over administrative matters. Bose's approach was comparatively quieter, though tensions remained beneath the surface.
RN Ravi, who will now take charge as West Bengal Governor, has himself been a figure of controversy during his tenure in Tamil Nadu, where his relationship with the DMK government was marked by frequent disagreements over language policy and constitutional matters.
The timing of the change, weeks before the state goes to polls, has raised eyebrows among constitutional experts, though the Election Commission has not commented on the development.
