West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has resigned from his post, marking a major development in the state’s political landscape. Shortly after his resignation, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi was appointed as the new Governor of West Bengal.
Bose, who is currently in New Delhi, confirmed his resignation to a news agency, saying he had served long enough in the role.
“Yes, I have resigned. I have been the Governor of Bengal for 3.5 years; it’s enough for me.”
Bose had taken charge as the Governor of West Bengal on November 17, 2022.
Mamata Banerjee reacts
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was “shocked and deeply concerned” by the sudden resignation. She also stated that she had not been consulted before the appointment of RN Ravi as the new Governor.
“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 wrote in a post on X.
She also criticised the Centre’s decision to appoint the new Governor without consultation.
“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. 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.”
Possible reshuffle of Governors
Sources indicated that Bose’s resignation may be part of a larger administrative reshuffle. Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta has also stepped down from his position.
Officials suggested that several Governors and Lieutenant Governors across states may be replaced, with an updated list expected to be announced soon by Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Trinamool Congress MP and party spokesperson Shashi Panja questioned the sudden developments.
“Jagdeep Dhankhar suddenly resigned from the post of the Vice President. CV Ananda Bose suddenly resigned from the post of Governor. What happened? Because they disobeyed the Union Home Ministry? Bengal wants to know what the reason is.”
Governor–state tensions
Like his predecessor Jagdeep Dhankhar, Bose had frequently been in conflict with the Trinamool Congress government over issues including political violence, law and order, and elections.
He had visited victims of violence and riot-affected areas and often made strong public statements against the state government, sometimes despite objections from the administration.
Bose had once commented that while he maintained a good rapport with Mamata Banerjee, the “politician Mamata Banerjee is not my cup of tea.”
On another occasion, he referred to her as “Lady Macbeth” and announced that he would socially boycott her.
“Socially means I will never share any stage with the Chief Minister. I will not attend any meeting where the Chief Minister is present.”
“I will take proactive steps against her for violating Constitutional provisions. My role as the Governor will be confined to the Constitutional obligations.”
Relations between the Raj Bhavan and the West Bengal government deteriorated further after a controversy involving a contractual woman employee who accused the Governor of sexual harassment in May last year.
Bose later filed a defamation case in court against the woman. During the legal proceedings, the court noted that a legal confrontation between a Governor and a Chief Minister was undesirable and issued an interim order restraining Banerjee from making defamatory remarks against the Governor.
RN Ravi appointed as successor
RN Ravi, who has been serving as the Governor of Tamil Nadu, will now take over as the Governor of West Bengal.
Ravi has also been involved in several disputes with the DMK government led by MK Stalin in Tamil Nadu.
His decision to withhold assent to multiple bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly led the state government to approach the Supreme Court, which in a landmark ruling last year described his actions as “illegal” and “arbitrary.”
In January, Ravi also refused to read a speech prepared by the state government in the Assembly at the start of the winter session, claiming it contained misleading claims and included a perceived insult to the National Anthem.
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