The government is likely to appoint senior BJP leader and former Union minister Dinesh Trivedi as India’s next High Commissioner to Bangladesh.Government sources said the announcement could come ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, signalling both a strategic recalibration in New Delhi’s outreach to Dhaka and a political message to voters in West Bengal, with a leader from the state being chosen for a key diplomatic post.Trivedi’s appointment is notable as he was once a close associate of Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee before leaving the party to join the BJP.India’s outgoing High Commissioner Pranay Verma is set to be posted to Brussels, and Trivedi’s appointment is expected to be announced soon.If confirmed, it would mark a rare instance of a political appointee heading a key diplomatic mission typically led by a career diplomat.The move comes amid strained ties between India and Bangladesh following the exit of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from Dhaka to Delhi in August 2024 after a civil uprising.In the months that followed, especially before the February polls that brought Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s Tarique Rahman to power, bilateral ties were tested by a series of developments, including attacks on minority communities.While tensions have since eased, Hasina’s continued presence in Delhi remains a sensitive issue, even as both sides attempt to stabilise relations. The recent visit of Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rehman was seen as a step in that direction.Sources said Trivedi’s deep political roots in West Bengal, given the state’s geographic and cultural proximity to Bangladesh, were a key factor in his likely selection.A seasoned parliamentarian, Trivedi has represented West Bengal in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. He served as Union Railway Minister and earlier as Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare in the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.Trivedi’s political journey has also seen a shift in affiliations. He resigned from the Trinamool Congress in February 2021, stepping down from the Rajya Sabha, before joining the BJP the following month.