The impasse between the state government and Raj Bhavan over the swearing-in of Nirmal Chandra Roy of Trinamul elected from Dhupguri in the recent bypoll continued on Tuesday.
Sources said governor C.V. Ananda Bose sent a letter to chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, saying Roy should be sworn in at Raj Bhavan.
“He said Raj Bhavan is an esteemed place, and thus, the function should be conducted there,” said a source.
Earlier, state minister for parliamentary affairs Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay alleged that Raj Bhavan directly contacted Roy, bypassing the state government, and was asked to take oath as MLA last Saturday. Roy, however, didn’t turn up.
On Tuesday, following Bose’s letter, the chief minister forwarded it to Speaker Biman Banerjee, who replied to the governor, said a highly-placed source.
“The Speaker in his letter said the Assembly was an equally esteemed place, and thus, the swearing-in should be there. He said because of the delay, the MLA couldn’t start work in his official capacity in his constituency and Assembly,” the source added.
Roy, in Dhupguri, said he received a letter from Raj Bhavan, but "it didn’t reach me on time”.
Earlier in the day, it was learned that an intimation was sent to deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee from Raj Bhavan, asking him to arrange the swearing-in. The deputy Speaker denied getting any such letter.
Kunal Ghosh, Trinamul’s state general secretary, alleged the "governor was dilly-dallying as BJP lost Dhupguri".