The Centre and the West Bengal government are likely to clash over the proposed extension of term of governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi.
The Centre and the West Bengal government are likely to clash over the proposed extension of term of governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi.
While the ruling Left Front is dead against extension of Gandhi’s term, which is coming to an end in December 2009, the Congress and Trinamool Congress are putting pressure on the Union government to extend the governor’s tenure.
Congress sources said in case Gandhi himself refuses to continue as governor, they would ask for former Union minister Santosh Mohan Deb or retired judge Rajendra Sachar as his replacement. However, the Left has strong reservations about Deb and Sachar.
A cold war is on between Gandhi and the Left after the Bengal governor criticised the state government on the continuing post-poll violence in the state. Left Front chairman and CPM state secretary Biman Bose accused Gandhi of being biased towards the Trinamool. Dismissing the allegation as baseless, Gandhi shot off letters to Bose and chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Monday.
CPM’s Rajya Sabha and central committee member Shyamal Chakrabarty said if anyone holding a constitutional post gives biased statements he/she will attract criticism. Pointing out that this was not the first time that Gandhi made such statements, Chakrabarty said. “A governor, appointed by the Union government comes for a term of five years and we want a friendly farewell for him.”
West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) general secretary and senior party MLA Manas Bhuyian said” “By attacking Gandhi, the Left is indirectly attacking the Constitution,” Bhuyian said.
Trinamool chief and Union Railway minister Mamata Banerjee said: “We want him to stay back in Bengal and continue as governor. The more the CPM maligns him, the more they will be isolated from the people,” she said.
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