BENGAL GOVERNOR C.V. ANANDA BOSE FINDS HIMSELF IN A TIGHT CORNER

When C.V. Ananda Bose was appointed as the Governor of West Bengal on 23 November 2022, nobody would have imagined that less than two years later, he would be at the centre of unseemly controversies.

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE

According to observers, Bose is on the verge of losing his chair after a series of missteps and allegations that have landed Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose between a rock and a hard place. With the Trinamool Congress girded up for a fight and the BJP seemingly cold and indifferent amid charges of molestation, the Governor’s days could be numbered.

Bose, a retired IAS officer, however, began his tenure on a different note, taking over from Jagdeep Dhankhar, who demitted office to assume the Vice-Presidency of India. Dhankhar had given a hard time to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress party and was seen to be closely aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Dhankhar was known for his assertive and confrontational style, frequently clashing with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the state government.

He often publicly criticized the state administration and questioned its decisions. His tenure was marked by highprofile disputes and media coverage, reflecting his active and vocal stance on various issues. This approach was polarizing, garnering both support and criticism.

Bose’s tenure began auspiciously, marked by a remarkable, though short, honeymoon with the Trinamool Congress and its supremo Mamata Banerjee. His effusive praise for the Chief Minister which included comparing her to Durga and putting her poems on the same pedestal as Rabindranath Tagore’s raised eyebrows but also underscored his desire to have a cordial relationship with the volatile leader.

The Bengali bhadrolokclass (genteel folk), tired of the daily skirmishes by his predecessor, also appreciated the new Governor, especially once it became known that he was named Bose by his father as a tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. His desire to learn Bengali was also met with appreciation.