KOLKATA: The sudden resignation of West Bengal Governor C. V. Ananda Bose and the appointment of Tamil Nadu Governor and retired IPS officer RN Ravi as his replacement have triggered speculation over whether the state is heading towards President’s Rule ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in about one and a half to two months.
The ruling Trinamool Congress leadership, including party supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has reacted strongly, accusing the BJP-led Central government of forcing Bose to resign suddenly.
The party leadership fears that the development could be part of a plan by the Centre to impose President’s Rule in the state for political gain, especially amid the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The exercise has reportedly led to the deletion of more than 60 lakh voters from the list, while another 60 lakh voters have been placed in the “under adjudication” category.
However, BJP leaders in the state have denied the allegations made by the ruling Trinamool Congress and said the Centre has no interest in imposing President’s Rule in West Bengal when Assembly elections are approaching.
Economist and BJP MLA Ashok Lahiri told TNIE, “The BJP has no interest in the imposition of Article 356 in Bengal. We want the elections to be held on time after the voter list is properly finalised following the SIR exercise.”
Lahiri, a former Chief Economic Adviser to the Central government during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, added, “It is Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is creating disruptions to prevent the SIR process, fearing the deletion of infiltrators who form her vote bank. She wants to shift the responsibility to the BJP by raising the issue of President’s Rule.”
Expressing concern, Mamata Banerjee wrote on social media, “I am shocked and deeply concerned by the sudden news of the resignation of Shri C. V. Ananda Bose, the Governor of West Bengal.
“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 further wrote, “The Union Home Minister has just informed me that Shri R. N. Ravi is being appointed as the Governor of West Bengal. I was not consulted, as per the established convention in this regard.
“Such actions undermine the spirit of the Constitution of India and strike at the very foundation of our 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.”
Senior minister in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet, Chandrima Bhattacharya, said, “It is a sinister plan by the BJP to impose Article 356 in Bengal before the elections.”
BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta declined to comment on the development.