A week after announcing that he was ready to sit for talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to resolve differences, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday said he was yet to receive any response from her on the matter.
Taking to Twitter, Dhankhar insisted that dialogue was the only way forward in a democracy
"@MamataOfficial.@derekobrienmp. Awaiting still response of Hon'ble Chief Minister for dialogue (sic)," Dhankhar tweeted.
He stressed that it was necessary to "adhere to constitutional obligations".
"In a democracy, dialogue is the only way to resolve issues, reach acceptable decisions. We need to adhere to constitutional obligations as disregard either side cannot be countenanced."
The governor had told reporters on December 6 that he was ready to discuss "all matters" with Banerjee at any place of her choice, be it the state secretariat or the Raj Bhavan.
"It is not that I am saying this for the first time. I had written to her in this regard. On Tuesday, I also spoke to her over phone," he had said.
Dhankhar has been engaged in a face-off with Banerjee and her administration over a host of issues, since assuming charge as the governor of the state.
The already-frosty relationship between the TMC-led dispensation and the governor hit a new low recently, when Speaker Biman Banerjee adjourned the House for two days last week as bills slated to be placed in the Assembly were not cleared by Dhankhar.