'All efforts to reach out to CM for dialogue failed'

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said that all his attempts to reach out to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee through back channels for dialogue has failed, as there was no response from her office.

Dhankhar, whose relationship with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government has become increasingly sour over several issues since he took charge, also said that the Chief Minister should be in touch with the Governor.

Tagging the Chief Minister in a tweet, Dhankhar also said that he was still hopeful of getting a positive response from Mamata.

Speaking at an event later on in the city, Dhankhar said that it was not true that the Governor was at loggerheads with the state government but it was half a dozen Ministers of the state government who had been attacking the Governor

Dhankhar also said that he cannot always praise the Chief Minister just to get publicity because there are issues in the state such as political murders being shown as suicides which worry him.

“ I praised the Chief Minister for actions during the cyclone Bulbul. But I cannot keep on praising her all the time no matter what happens in the state,” he said.

Referring to the recent incident when he was left fuming during his visit to the Assembly, as the gate designated for the Governor’s entry was closed, Dhankhar said that it was an “unfortunate” incident.

“It is extremely unfortunate that a Governor visits the Assembly with prior intimation to the Speaker but even then the gate designated for him (Governor) remains locked,” said Dhankhar.

The Governor also said that was not why “they” (the state government) did it.