West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said if Governor CV Ananda Bose wants to do what the CM does, he should form a party and win elections. The Trinamool Congress supremo also asserted that there are constitutional limitations on what a governor can do.
"While talking to students, he is asking them about corruption and riots. Is this a governor's duty? The Constitution has laid down the role of a governor,” Banerjee said in Jhargram district where she is on an administrative tour. Bose holds a programme named ‘Amne Samne’ in Raj Bhavan, in which he interacts with students.
Referring to an earlier remark of Bose, Banerjee said, "The governor says he is doing what a CM does. If this is the case, then he should set up a party and win an election. He could contest on a BJP ticket and do as he pleases if he wins. He won’t win as BJP will not be around for too long."
The governor cannot involve himself in everything, she said. After inaugurating an ‘anti-corruption cell’ at the Raj Bhavan earlier this month, Bose had said such an initiative would help common people to take forward their complaints to competent authorities.
He had also emphasised that the cell would not “infringe on others’ turf”. Referring to Bose appointing a non-academic as the vice-chancellor of a university in the state, Banerjee said, "The governor's post is a constitutional one and there are constitutional limitations to it.
Bose has made an ex-IPS officer of his home-state Kerala the vice-chancellor of Aliah University though it is not the rule, she said adding that the governor should sign the Bill passed in the Assembly allowing the appointment of the chief minister as the Chancellor of state-run varsities.
