Kolkata, May 11 -- A fresh political controversy has erupted in West Bengal after the newly formed BJP government appointed former Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal as the state's Chief Secretary, triggering sharp reactions from the TMC ,who questioned both the timing and implications of the move.
Manoj Agarwal, who oversaw the recently concluded 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections on behalf of the ECI, has now been elevated to the state's top bureaucratic post under the new administration.
The appointment has prompted allegations from Trinamool Congress leaders and MPs, who claim the move raises serious questions about the neutrality of the electoral process. Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale launched a direct attack on both the BJP and the Election Commission, alleging that the appointment exposes an alleged nexus between the ruling party and constitutional institutions. "Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Aggarwal who conducted the West Bengal election for the ECI has been appointed Chief Secretary of Bengal by the new BJP government.
BJP and ECI are now being open about stealing the election. Are the courts blind or complicit? This is beyond shameless," Gokhale wrote on social media.
Senior Trinamool leader Derek O'Brien reacted with sarcasm, posting, "Purely a coincidence, surely."
Senior leader Sagarika Ghose also strongly criticised the decision, calling it "outrageous and brazen."
In her statement, she alleged that the "so-called neutral umpire" had been rewarded with Bengal's highest bureaucratic position by the BJP-led dispensation, and questioned whether anyone could still believe the 2026 Bengal elections were conducted in a free and fair manner.
The appointment has intensified the political war of words in the state, with opposition parties signalling that the issue could be raised both politically and legally in the coming days.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.