Governors should not appear to be 'agents' of political parties: Congress

After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi of threatening her, the Congress Party on Wednesday said that state governors should not give an impression of being the agents of the political party.

"It's a very serious matter, India is federal country. The states also have repositories of sovereignty. The Governor cannot be a third centre of power. The centre of power is the Chief Minister, because she is an elected leader. The governors should not give an impression of being the agents of the political party. This is a sad development and I hope that the governor will like to correct himself," Congress leader KTS Tulsi told ANI.

Governor Tripathi yesterday expressed shock over the language used by the former in her press conference and said there was nothing in the talks between the two for which she might have felt insulted or threatened.

"I am surprised at the attitude and language used by Mamata Banerjee during the press conference today. The talks between us were confidential in nature and no one is expected to disclose it. However, there was nothing in the talks for which she might have felt insulted, threatened or humiliated," the letter issued by the Governor stated.

The letter further read that being the guardian of the state, it is the right of the Governor to bring the grievance of the people to the notice of the Chief Minister and Tripathi did the same.

"The Governor, being the Head of the State, is the guardian of all the citizens of the State and not of any particular party or section of society. It is proper for the Governor to bring to the notice of the Chief Minister any serious grievance made by any member of public or any serious event happening in the State. The Governor cannot remain a mute spectator of the affairs in the State," the letter quoted.

It further added that Governor Tripathi just urged Mamata to ensure peace, law and order by all means in the state.

Mamata earlier accused Governor Tripathi of making threats against her and abusing her.

"He (the Governor) has threatened me. He has insulted me today. He cannot do that. I told him you cannot talk to me like this. I am an elected person. He is a nominated person," she said in a press conference here.

She even alleges that the Governor Tripathi was behaving like a "BJP block president".

-ANI