Will speak only to CM and not her subordinate cabinet colleague: Bengal Guv

Kolkata: West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Monday made it amply clear that on any administrative matter he will only speak to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and not to any of her subordinate colleagues in the state cabinet.

“If I need to speak on anything I will speak only to the chief minister, who is my constitutional colleague and not to any of her subordinate colleagues in the state cabinet,” the Governor told media persons.

Although the Governor did not name anyone, his clear hint was towards the state education minister, Bratya Basu, who has launched scathing and unprecedented attack against the Governor over the issue of the latter appointing interim vice- chancellors for several state universities without discussion with or concurrence of the state education department.

Meanwhile, even after almost 40 hours have passed since the Governor sent two confidential communiques to the state and Union government at midnight hours of Saturday, mystery continues to prevail over the contents.

When specifically asked about the contents of the letter on Monday, the Governor said that it was a confidential matter. “What is confidential is confidential. I sought some information,” he said.

The chief minister has convened a press conference at the state secretariat on Monday at 4.30 p.m. at the state secretariat where she is expected to throw some light on the confidential communiques, one of which had been forwarded to her and the second to the Centre.

Trinamool Congress’s state spokesman in West Bengal Kunal Ghosh reacted to the Governor’s comments and claimed that the constitutional head of the state was trying to create unnecessary tension and suspense over the entire matter by leaking the news of the midnight confidential communiques.

“This is not the right behaviour on part of a governor,” Ghosh said.