Row Over Tripura Governor's Letter To Chief Minister For BJP Worker

Agartala, Tripura: As Tripura stays firmly in the headlines for controversial comments by its new Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, a move by Governor Tathagata Roy, no stranger to controversy, has sparked a row. A confidential letter by the governor urging Biplab Deb to consider a Bengal BJP worker as an advisor to his government for "interacting with possible entrepreneurs and examination of accounts" has been shared widely on social media and has been sharply criticised by the Left.

In the letter dated March 14, the governor forwarded the CV of Sarvadaman Ray, describing him as an old colleague in the BJP and a "qualified chartered accountant". The letter suggests that Mr Roy had already spoken with the chief minister on the candidate during the swearing in of a temporary speaker of the Tripura assembly.

"Accordingly, I forward the biodata of Sarvadaman Ray, whom I had known as a party colleague from 1990, when I was active in politics in the West Bengal unit of the BJP. Shri Ray is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has served in important position in the private sector. He is interested to serve your government for purposes of interacting with possible entrepreneurs as well as for examination of accounts. You may like to give the matter due consideration," says the letter that was in circulation on the weekend.

Trolled on social media by critics who accused him of acting like a "BJP pracharak (volunteer)", Mr Roy tweeted that he considered his recommendation letter a "perfectly normal and legitimate move". He also scoffed at the Left.

I recommended to the CM of Tripura an old party,colleague and a Chartered Accountant for appointment in an advisory capacity. A perfectly normal and legitimate move. Now a Comrade has discovered the letter and is jumping around with the glee of Columbus discovering America. LOL!

— Tathagata Roy (@tathagata2) April 28, 2018

The CPM, which was recently defeated by the BJP after its three-decade rule in Tripura, has accused the governor of misusing his office more often since the BJP came to power. "The governor's position is being blatantly misused. Ever since the BJP come to power here, this has increased manifold... This is unprecedented," said Sankar Prasad Datta, a CPM parliamentarian, was reported as saying.