C.V. Ananda Bose on Sunday left the city with a measured smile and carefully chosen words, insisting that his decision to resign as Bengal governor was voluntary but declined to disclose why.
Speaking to journalists at the airport before boarding a flight to Delhi, the former governor said: “I took a conscious decision to put in my papers, the reasons of which will remain confidential till the right time arrives.”
He added cryptically that the rules of the “game” also included knowing when it “ends”.
On March 5, Bose flew to Delhi and tendered his resignation, paving the way for the appointment of former IPS officer R.N. Ravi as the new governor. Ravi, who had been serving as the Tamil Nadu governor, assumed charge in Calcutta just before the 2026 Assembly elections.
Despite speculation surrounding his sudden exit, Bose refrained from turning the episode into a public confrontation, choosing instead to maintain restraint and preserve the constitutional decorum associated with the office.
Bose, who served as Bengal governor for around 1,200 days, struck a reflective note while describing his tenure. “Once there is an entry, exit is inevitable. I have spent 1,200 days as governor. In terms of cricket those are equivalent to 12 centuries. That is enough. There is time to stop. I feel that this is the right time to leave,” he told reporters, suggesting that he considered his tenure both long and eventful enough to conclude.
Bose indicated that his association with Bengal would continue in a personal capacity. He said he had enrolled himself as a voter in Bengal and would return to cast his vote when the time comes.
His sudden resignation had prompted leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress and other anti-BJP parties to allege that Bose had been compelled to step down under pressure from the Centre. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee publicly claimed on Saturday that she knew the reason but would not reveal it.
When asked about Mamata’s remarks, however, Bose declined to enter into any controversy. “I have heard. There is no action, no reaction from my end,” he said, refusing to elaborate further.
He said he wrote his resignation letter in Calcutta and emphasised that the act was his own.
Bose also avoided comments on President Droupadi Murmu's recent comments on the alleged protocol breach. Choosing his words carefully, he said: “The President is very experienced, balanced and an extremely dignified person. She must have had her reasons for saying what she said. I am no one to comment on what the President said.”
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Arup Chakraborty said Bose was “virtually shown the door" by the Centre. "Bose was so badly humiliated that, as far as I know, he did not enter Raj Bhavan today. His anger is quite obvious. It does not require any political prudence to understand this reality," he said. “Those carrying out the BJP’s bidding should keep Bose's example in mind,” he said.
The BJP refused to comment on Bose's remarks.