New Delhi: After the NDA alliance nominated West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as their Vice Presidential candidate, many are wondering if this was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's manner of fulfilling West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's demand. It is a known fact that Banerjee and her state governor Dhankhar shared a turbulent relationship and often got into public tiffs over their differences. 


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In addition, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had been requesting the PM for more than a year to remove Dhankhar from the governor's post. So, now that he has resigned, many are considering this to be a sign of PM Moidi fulfilling her demand.


However, now that Dhankhar is taking part in the VP race, he would resign as governor, bringing relief to Banerjee. Along with relief, it may also incite a slight fear or worry about who the next governor could be.


Mamata and Dhankhar have clashed on many issues and the latter has often criticised the West Bengal state government which has left Mamata furious. Once, she even blocked him on Twitter accusing him for ‘targeting’ and ‘abusing’ her government. She said, “I have been forced to block Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Twitter” as quoted by ANI. "Everyday he (Governor) was issuing tweets targeting and threatening govt officials as if we're his bonded labourers," the Chief Minister further added.


TMC MPs have also, in the past, said that Dhankhar has been rewarded by BJP for opposing Mamata. 


Dhankar is the first governor to have expressed his displeasure with the state government via regular Twitter posts. What really irked the Trinamool Congress leadership was that Dhankhar had started firing similar salvos at official functions held in the West Bengal Assembly premises.


The Assembly Speaker, Biman Banerjee, once even said that if this continued, he would have to contemplate restricting the governor`s presence on the premises of the House, something that has never been heard of in a parliamentary democracy.


Meanwhile, nearly 4,800 elected MPs and MLAs voted on Monday (July 18, 2022) to elect India's 15th President. The polling, which began at 10 am at the Parliament House and state legislative assemblies, continued till 5 pm. Out of a total of 4,796 electors in the list of the electoral college for the Presidential Poll, over 99% cast their votes.


(With agency inputs)


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