Lobbying starts for Tea Board chairman’s post

GUWAHATI: Hectic lobbying has begun for the Tea Board chairman post, which is falling vacant next month. The tenure of the present chairman, Basudeb Banerjee, comes to an end by October 18. Assam, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh have deputed their candidates. Over the years, it has become a convention that the posts of chairman and vice-chairman are filled up alternatively by the senior IAS officers from Assam and West Bengal cadres.

The present chairman is from the West Bengal cadre.
Sources in the Assam government said chief minister Tarun Gogoi has informed a delegation of tea planters that he will take up the matter with prime minister Manmohan Singh who is an MP from Assam. There is lobbying from the West Bengal government to retain the post. Surprisingly, Chhattisgarh too has entered the fray.

It is learnt that the West Bengal chief minister’s special secretary Subesh Das has applied for the post. Sources in the industry said it is likely that the chairman will come from the Assam cadre. An Assam tea growers’ association has appealed to Gogoi to ensure that the post was awarded to an Assam cadre officer.