"Humiliated" Mamata Banerjee Reminds Bengal Governor He Is "Nominated"

Mamata Banerjee said the governor had violated the constitution with his overreach.

In what may trigger a constitutional crisis of some sort, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote a five-page letter to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and accused him of "forgetting" that she was the elected head of government in the state and he was merely a nominated one.

"The tone tenor and language of your letters and messages to me are unparliamentary and an insult to my office," Ms Banerjee said, adding, "You appear to have forgotten that I am an elected Chief Minister of a proud Indian state. You also seem to have forgotten that you are a nominated Governor."

Attached was a letter to her from the Governor as well. She also revealed the contents of the governor's text message to her, sent, she said, at 7 am on Wednesday. The SMS appears to have been the last straw for Ms Banerjee.

Citing BR Ambedkar and the Sarkaria Commission Report on the powers of the Governor, Mamata Banerjee wrote, "Let the people of Bengal and India judge who has breached the constitution."

"You have attacked me, my ministers and my officers. Your tone, tenor and language are unparliamentary," Ms Banerjee wrote. She also expressed her displeasure that the governor regularly holds press meets in which he speaks against the state.

"There have been repeated and consistent interference in administration. Decency and the constitution have been flagrantly transgressed," Ms Banerjee said.

The governor did not respond publicly to the letter till late on Thursday evening.

The Governor and the Chief Minister, who have not been on the best of terms since Mr Dhankhar was appointed last year, have been locked in a tussle over the past few days.

The feud has escalated over two central government teams sent to West Bengal who have alleged that they have been stonewalled by the state government. The Bengal administration has accused the centre of stifling its COVID-19 response by sending faulty test kits.