Ice melts between Trinamool and Raj Bhavan; BJP heats up

As governors and regional governments, in a few states, continue to exert their constitutional positions with confrontational stands exposed to the public at large, a bonhomie, unseen in recent times, has emerged between the Raj Bhavan and the Trinamool-led government in West Bengal. The transition is the cause of concern for the BJP leaders in Bengal, who have continued to offer tough competition to the ruling party in recent years.

For almost forty months, issues of administrative concern saw the state and the Raj Bhavan expressing differing opinions on many occasions. Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who took charge in July 2019, critically examined and assessed issues that involved his office’s say along with that of the state administration.

A section of the leadership of the ruling party, however, then observed the governor’s exercising of constitutional powers, as exceeding the expected brief.

Stalemates were evident on several occasions. One instance, where the state too exerted its legislative strength, stood out. In the mid of 2022, the state government sought to replace the governor with the chief minister as chancellor of state-run universities. Another idea was to remove the governor as a visitor to private universities. Bills to do the needful were passed in the assembly.

CV Ananda Bose took charge of the office of the governor in November last year, after Governor Dhankhar’s resignation in July. In the in-between period Manipur governor, La Ganesan, was assigned the additional charge of the state.

Governor Bose is “widely acknowledged as ‘Man of Ideas’”, states his official profile. “Known as the ‘makeover man’ of the service, Dr Bose was sent to cleanse many corruption-ridden organisations in the govt. He is known for his drive against corruption,” it adds.

In Bengal, his journey has just begun, but there’s sufficient heat in regional politics to keep the winter warm.

Days before Christmas, the chief minister met Governor Bose at Raj Bhavan, for offering customary greetings. After the meeting, she mentioned the new governor as a “gentleman”, whose relationship with the state government was so good that any future problems could be ruled out. For the governor’s cooperation, “we are grateful”, she added.

On January 17, the frozen relations melted further when Governor Bose met vice-chancellors of state universities and the state’s education minister, Bratya Basu. Basu declared that the Raj Bhavan, and the state secretariat, henceforth, were to work in tandem. The minister’s addressing the governor as ‘chancellor’, hinted at the state government’s refreshed stand on its earlier intent of having the governor replaced by CM for the chancellor’s post in state-run universities.

The icing on the cake – that left Trinamool’s political opponents in a state of disbelief – was the Republic Day reception at Raj Bhavan. The governor initiated himself into learning the Bengali language on the day when Saraswati Puja was also being observed. Banerjee, who was the ‘guest in chief’, spoke in Malayalam, congratulated Governor Bose for his special interest in Bengal and the language, and presented him with a popular two-part introductory book on learning Bengali.

“... I will learn Bengali. Bengali is a beautiful language. I love Bengali. I love the people of Bengal. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is a great hero. He is my hero. Jai Bangla, Jai Hind,” the governor reciprocated with affection.

During the tenure of the earlier governor, the BJP leaders in Bengal, frequented Raj Bhavan to express their grievances against the party in power.

With the new governor’s proactive approach, the underlying tension that has simmered in this short span is now surfacing.

BJP MLA and leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari did not attend the programme at Raj Bhavan organised for the governor’s commencement of learning the Bengali language. He appreciated the governor, but claimed that the governor’s wish “has been exploited by the state government as an opportunity for political posturing”. BJP leader in Bengal Dilip Ghosh considered the Raj Bhavan event a ‘drama’, and saw the governor getting steered on someone else’s advice.

The state is headed for rural polls. What follows next is the Lok Sabha elections next year. While Governor Bose’s gestures appear an attempt at reducing the friction that has stayed between the Raj Bhavan and the state for long, for the political opponents fighting their own battles, the newer situation seems inapt.