NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the BJP and the Election Commission after the newly formed West Bengal government under Suvendu Adhikari appointed former chief electoral officer Manoj Agarwal as the state’s chief secretary.Taking a swipe at both the BJP and the Election Commission, Rahul Gandhi posted on X: “In the BJP-EC’s ‘chor bazaar’ – the bigger the theft, the bigger the reward.”The decision by the Suvendu Adhikari-led government came just days after the BJP assumed power in West Bengal for the first time, ending Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year rule in the state.
The Didi-led Trinamool Congress, now in opposition, also strongly criticised Agarwal’s appointment to the top bureaucratic post. The party termed the move “shameless” and questioned the neutrality of the election process.TMC leaders pointed out that Agarwal had overseen the recently concluded assembly elections in West Bengal as the Election Commission’s top official in the state before being appointed chief secretary by the BJP government.Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale wrote on X: “Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Aggarwal, who conducted the West Bengal election for the EC, has been appointed chief secretary of Bengal by the new BJP Govt.“BJP & ECI are now being open about stealing the election.“Are the courts BLIND or COMPLICIT? This is beyond shameless.”The announcement was made after the first cabinet meeting of the Suvendu Adhikari-led government in West Bengal. Agarwal’s appointment came just 48 hours after special election observer Subrata Gupta was named adviser to the chief minister.Interestingly, Manoj Agarwal had originally been selected as West Bengal’s chief electoral officer by the Election Commission from a panel sent by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government.Speculation over his new role intensified on Monday after Agarwal was seen seated beside chief minister Adhikari, with Nariala on his left, during the BJP government’s cabinet meeting at Nabanna.The Trinamool Congress, which had repeatedly clashed with Agarwal during the Assembly elections — including a public spat on X between him and former finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya — reacted sharply to the development.TMC MP Sagarika Ghose posted on X: “The so-called ‘neutral umpire’ is rewarded with the post of top bureaucrat of the BJP dispensation in Bengal. Does anyone still seriously believe the 2026 Bengal elections were free and fair? Outrageous and brazen.”The BJP defended the move, saying it had appointed the senior-most IAS officer and, unlike Mamata Banerjee, had followed service rules.A 1990-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, Manoj Agarwal is due to retire on July 31. However, sources indicated that he could receive at least a six-month extension, subject to a recommendation by the state government and approval from the Centre.West Bengal has precedent for such extensions. Former chief secretaries Samar Ghosh, Hari Krishna Dwivedi, BP Gopalika and Manoj Pant continued in office even after turning 60. Ghosh, appointed during the Left Front era, later became Mamata Banerjee’s first chief secretary in 2011.A mechanical engineering graduate, Agarwal has held several key administrative positions during his career. He began as ADM of Burdwan and later served as principal secretary in departments including personnel and administrative reforms, food and supplies, and fire and emergency services.In June 2024, he became additional chief secretary of the forest department before being appointed chief electoral officer ten months later.Under Agarwal’s tenure as CEO, the Assembly elections in West Bengal were conducted largely peacefully. Sources said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had commended him for overseeing the polls smoothly.His appointment also comes ahead of the May 21 Falta bypoll.