R.N. Ravi to be Bengal governor as Ananda Bose quits

Former Tamil Nadu governor R.N. Ravi is set to be appointed the new governor of West Bengal as per a tweet by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee after incumbent C.V. Ananda Bose resigned suddenly on Thursday, prompting Banerjee to allege that the move may have been prompted by pressure from the Union government.

There has been no official announcement yet from the Union government confirming Ravi’s appointment.

In a social media post, Banerjee said Union home minister Amit Shah had informed her that Ravi would be appointed as the next governor but claimed that she was not consulted on the decision.

“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,” she posted.

Banerjee said she was “shocked and deeply concerned” by Bose’s resignation and suggested that it may have been linked to political developments ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

“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,” she said.

The chief minister also accused the Centre of undermining federal norms. “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,” she said.

Sources earlier said Bose submitted his resignation in Delhi and sent his letter to Rashtrapati Bhavan. An officer on special duty attached to the governor confirmed that the resignation had been communicated to the President.

Bose had taken charge as governor of West Bengal on 17 November 2022, and his tenure was scheduled to continue until November 2027. His departure nearly 20 months before completing the term has triggered speculation, particularly as the state prepares for Assembly elections.

His tenure was marked by frequent tensions with the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government. Differences between Raj Bhavan and the state administration surfaced on several occasions, including over law-and-order issues and the functioning of state universities. As governor, Bose served as chancellor of state universities, and several of his decisions regarding vice-chancellor appointments drew criticism from the state government.

The TMC accused Raj Bhavan of bypassing the elected government and interfering in administrative matters. The state government later moved to curtail the governor’s role in the higher education system by proposing to transfer the position of chancellor of state universities to the chief minister.

Bose’s tenure was also overshadowed by controversy in 2024 after a contractual employee of Raj Bhavan accused him of sexual harassment. The woman alleged that she had been molested inside the Raj Bhavan premises and filed a complaint with Kolkata Police.

Bose denied the allegations, describing them as an attempt to malign him. The episode triggered a political storm and further strained relations between the state government and Raj Bhavan.

With Ravi now set to take over as governor, the development adds a new dimension to West Bengal’s political landscape ahead of the Assembly elections. Ravi, who previously served as the Governor of Tamil Nadu, had an equally contentious tenure marked by repeated confrontations with the M.K. Stalin-led DMK government.

In Tamil Nadu, Ravi was frequently criticised by the state government and opposition parties for delaying assent to several bills passed by the Assembly. The standoff escalated after he returned or withheld assent to a number of legislations, prompting the state government to approach the Supreme Court.

He also triggered political controversy by omitting references to “Dravidian model” and social justice from the Tamil Nadu government’s prepared speech during the Assembly address, an unusual move that drew sharp criticism from the ruling DMK.

Ravi’s remarks on Tamil identity and his suggestions that the state should be referred to as 'Tamizhagam' instead of Tamil Nadu also sparked strong protests from regional parties.

His appointment to West Bengal, another politically sensitive state governed by a party opposed to the BJP at the Centre, is therefore likely to be closely watched.

The Union government has not yet issued an official announcement confirming Ravi’s appointment.