The indefinite sit-in outside Raj Bhavan by the TMC leaders led by ruling party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee may end on the fifth day of the protest as sources said West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose will meet Trinamool Congress leaders at the Raj Bhavan at 4 pm on Monday. TMC leaders have been protesting at Raj Bhavan on the issue of the Centre allegedly stopping MGNREGA funds to the state for the last 5 days.
Protesting TMC leaders said their stir would continue till Bose met them at the protest site.
The Governor, who returned from Darjeeling on Sunday night, said the Raj Bhavan is "Jana Raj Bhavan" and its doors are open from 4 am to 11 pm and any leader of any party is welcome there.
However, there was no confirmation on whether the Governor would meet Abhishek Banerjee.
Bose while speaking to reporters at Kolkata airport said, "The Raj Bhavan is Jana Raj Bhavan. Anybody is welcome there from 4 am to 11 pm. Any leader of any party is welcome in Raj Bhavan. I will certainly meet those who want to meet me anytime till 11 pm."
While speaking on the ongoing issue over MGNREGA fund, he said he will meet those deprived of MGNREGA work in the state and take up their grievances with New Delhi.
Governor in action
A source at the Governor house said, Bose, who was in Darjeeling for assessing the flood situation in the hill area, had written to Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi inquiring whether permission was granted for the TMC's ongoing sit-in outside the Raj Bhavan.
Notably, a delegation of three TMC leaders met Bose in Darjeeling on Sunday, where they put forth their demands regarding the clearance of the state's financial dues under the scheme.
The Ministry of Rural Development on October 5 had stated that the release of funds for West Bengal was stopped from March 9, 2022, in accordance with Section 27 of MGNREGA because of the state's non-compliance with directives of the Central government.
(With PTI inputs)
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