Jagdeep Dhankhar as VP: CPM smells 'understanding' between Mamata Banerjee and BJP

Didi convenes meeting of party MPs and MLAs on July 21 at 4pm to decide on party’s position on the issue

Jagdeep Dhankhar with Assam and Bengal CMs Himanta Biswa Sarma and Mamata Banerjee in Darjeeling: Twitter/@jdhankhar1

TT Bureau   |   Calcutta   |   17.07.22  : CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty on Saturday hinted at an understanding between Trinamul and the BJP over Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s nomination as the NDA candidate for Vice-President.

“This is not at all news to me.…  A few days ago Dhankhar had a meeting with the Bengal chief minister and the Assam chief minister in Darjeeling. Everyone can guess what they discussed. I don’t know what’s the surprise element in this,” Chakraborty said.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, her Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma and Dhankhar had described the Darjeeling session as a courtesy meeting.

The CPM, however, has not officially endorsed Chakraborty’s views against the backdrop of the testy ties between the Raj Bhavan and Nabanna since Dhankhar assumed office on July 30, 2019.

Dhankhar has had repeated run-ins with the state government over a range of issues — from post-poll violence to corruption in the recruitment of teachers — in the last three years and Mamata had publicly urged the Centre to withdraw him from Bengal.

During all these conflicts, most CPM leaders, including Chakraborty, had accused Dhankhar of being a BJP representative in the Raj Bhavan. 

There was no official reaction from Trinamul on Dhankhar’s nomination. Mamata has convened a meeting of party MPs and MLAs on July 21 at 4pm at her Kalighat residence to decide on the party’s position on the issue.

Some Trinamul insiders said Dhankhar’s impending departure to Delhi was “good news”.

Trinamul MP Saugata Roy said: “His nomination as the vice-presidential candidate is nothing but a reward for his consistent attempts at disturbing the Trinamul government.”

Tapas Roy, another Trinamul leader, said the role played by Dhankhar was unbecoming of a governor. “We can only hope that the next occupant of the Raj Bhavan will cooperate with the state government.”

Although Chakranorty suggested a secret understanding between Trinamul and the BJP, he echoed the two Trinamul leaders in the later part of his reaction. “He did so many things for the BJP while being the governor of Bengal.… The party should have given him something more.”

State Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury said the nomination was purely for political reasons. “He is a BJP man and he proved that during his stint as governor.… The BJP has nominated him because it wants to play the Jat card and also because of the impending polls in Rajasthan. He may be experienced and educated, but his nomination is purely political,” Chowdhury said.

The Bengal BJP welcomed the nomination. “He is a deserving candidate for the post of Vice-President,” said Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.