West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose Resigns Amid Controversy

Former West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Sunday said that his resignation was a “conscious decision” and asserted that the reasons for his exit will remain confidential till the right time comes. Speaking to reporters at the Kolkata airport following his return from Delhi , Bose said, “The fact remains that I have taken a conscious decision to resign. The reasons for this will remain confidential till the right time comes.” Bose had assumed office on November 23, 2022 after then Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar left to contest the vice-presidential elections. Bose had submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu on March 5. R N Ravi, former deputy national security advisor and the present governor of Tamil Nadu , will replace him. With the Bengal elections round the corner, Bose’s resignation surprised many, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who said she was “shocked and deeply concerned”. “Have you seen how C V Ananda Bose was removed? I know everything. He was threatened. They want to distribute money from Lok Bhavan. They want Lok Bhavan to be converted into a BJP party office. But everybody may not agree to Delhi’s whims and fancies,” Banerjee alleged. She further called the newly appointed Governor R N Ravi a “BJP cadre” and alleged that outgoing governor C V Ananda Bose was forced to resign. Ravi, who is expected to take charge on March 11, saw his tenure as Governor of Tamil Nadu since September 2021 marked by a series of confrontations with the Stalin-led government, ranging from withholding assent to Bills, refusing to swear in MLAs, and delaying appointments of vice chancellors to state universities. In at least three cases since 2023, the state approached the Supreme Court against the Governor’s actions or inaction.