In a dramatic turn of events, Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose has resigned from the post of Governor of West Bengal, bringing an end to his tenure at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Thursday. The resignation was submitted to the President, official close to Dr. Bose said.
According to sources, Dr. Bose cited health issues in his resignation to President Draupadi Murmu.
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee also confirmed the news through a social media post on X. She expressed shocked and deep concern by the sudden news of Dr. Bose's 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. 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," CM Banerjee wrote on her post.
She added, the move largely "undermine the spirit of the Constitution of India and strike at the very foundation of our federal structure." She, however, emphasised that the Centre must respect the principles of cooperative federalism and refrain from taking unilateral decisions that erode democratic conventions and the dignity of States.
New Governor Appointed
Following his resignation, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, R. N. Ravi, has been given additional charge as the interim Governor of West Bengal until a permanent appointment is made.
According to officials, the arrangement has been made to ensure continuity in the functioning of the constitutional office while the Centre considers the appointment of a new Governor for the state.
Bose had assumed office as the Governor of West Bengal in November 2022. During his tenure, he was involved in several administrative and constitutional matters relating to the state government and higher education institutions.
The Centre is expected to announce a full-time replacement in the coming weeks. Until then, the Governor of Tamil Nadu will discharge the responsibilities of the post in an additional capacity.
The development marks a significant administrative transition at the Raj Bhavan as the state prepares for upcoming political and electoral developments.
This is a developing story. We will get back with more details shortly.
