The BJP leadership has decided to make West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar the vice-presidential candidate of the NDA camp. On Saturday evening, Narendra Modi-Amit Shah held a meeting to formally select the vice-presidential candidate. After a two-hour meeting, Dhankhar’s name was announced as the vice-presidential candidate. The Modi government’s decision brought a temporary break in the atmosphere of conflict between Raj Bhavan and Nabanna. According to sources, the Trinamool Congress has agreed in principle on the question of supporting Dhankhar as the Vice President despite the conflict as Governor. But after Dhankhar, the discussion about who will be the next governor has started in the state.
About Dhankhar
The original resident of Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district and the son of a farmer family (many of the BJP want to highlight the identity of the farmer family before the Rajasthan assembly elections), Dhankhar, is a lawyer by profession. In 1989, he entered the Lok Sabha for the first time as an MP. He became the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in 1990. In 1993, he was elected as MLA from Kishangarh in Ajmed district. Then in 2019, Jagdeep Dhankhar joined as the Governor of West Bengal. His relationship with the Eastern State Government, of which he was the Governor, was never cordial. He has repeatedly clashed with the state government. The conflict started within 15 days of Dhankhar joining the post of governor. Allegations have been made against him that he has practically opened a camp for opposition politics in the Raj Bhavan. On the other hand, he regularly criticizes the work of the government, chief minister and ministers at every post.
CM’s stance
However, Mamata got a hint that Dhankhar could be the Vice President the day she went to meet him at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata. Although neither side has commented on it. Similarly, Dhankhar-Mamata meeting was held in Darjeeling a few days ago. On the same day, Dhankhar came down to Bagdogra and condemned the state administration. He pointed his finger at the Chief Minister. After that, Mamata went to Darjeeling Raj Bhavan to meet Dhankhar on his invitation. Incidentally, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was present there. Many people think that Himanta came to convey the message to Mamata that Dhankhar’s name is being considered by the Centre as the Vice President. No response was received from the Chief Minister after the meaningful meeting came out. On the contrary, Mamata did not want to give any importance to that meeting. After the meeting, the Governor left Bagdogra for Delhi. Then this decision was taken by the BJP Parliamentary Board. Before that, Dhankhar held a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah on July 15 and the Prime Minister the next day at noon.
Explaining the political significance of that decision, Mamata had complained several times in Delhi that the Governor is not communicating with the Chief Minister of the state from the beginning. Angered by Dhankhar’s role, the state moved an unprecedented motion of impeachment against the governor in the assembly.