Mamata appoints Alapan Bandyopadhyay as chief advisor; show-cause notice likely to officer over Centre's order

A show cause notice is being served on Alapan Bandyopadhyay, who was earlier in the day appointed as Chief Advisor to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, for failing to report to the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) as directed by the central government, sources said.

A show cause notice is being served on Alapan Bandyopadhyay, who was earlier in the day appointed as Chief Advisor to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, for failing to report to the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) as directed by the central government, sources said. "A show-cause notice is being served to West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay for failing to report to the Department of Personnel and Training," a source said.

Banerjee, who addressed a press conference today, said Bandyopadhyay has retired from service and will not join in Delhi and has been made Chief Advisor. "Since Alapan Bandopadhyay has retired today on May 31 from his service, he is not going to join in Delhi. I will not allow Alapan Banerjee to leave Nabanna. He is now the Chief Adviser to Chief Minister," she said.

Banerjee said a new Chief Secretary has been appointed in the state. "We have appointed HK Dwivedi as the new Chief Secretary and BP Gopalika as the new Home Secretary. We just got a letter from IAS cadre rules. The purpose of extension of service is not served," she said.

Bandyopadhyay was to retire on May 31 and had earlier been given three months extension. The central government had on Friday issued an order to recall Bandyopadhyay. The order said that placement of his services with the government has been approved. The state government was asked to relieve the officer with immediate effect and he was directed to report to North Block by May 31.

The development took place after Banerjee along with the state chief secretary skipped the review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday aftermath of Cyclone Yaas. Banerjee had on Saturday urged requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the Central government's order to recall Bandyopadhyay.

"I felt bad. They humiliated me by running the one-sided information circulated by the PMO. When I was working, they were doing this. For the sake of people, I am ready to touch your feet. Stop this political vendetta. I request Prime Minister to withdraw this order of Chief Secretary (being attached to DoPT) and let us work," Banerjee had told reporters here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held a review meeting at Kalaikunda in Paschim Medinipur district to take stock of the post-cyclonic situation. Mamata Banerjee was supposed to attained the meeting.

However, she arrived late by 30 minutes and handed him over reports of damage caused by the impact of Cyclone Yaas. Following this, she and the state chief secretary left for her "pre-scheduled" meeting at Digha. (ANI)

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