“I have not received any request from Delhi to stay back and my plans remain unchanged. My term ends next Sunday and I am leaving the next day. Nothing has happened to change that plan,” Gandhi is said to have told his close friends.

There have been widespread speculations that because of Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s insistence, the Centre could urge Gandhi to stay back.

Gandhi will throw a tea party on December 13 at the Raj Bhavan in which eminent people from all walks of life, including Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, have been invited.

Bhattacharjee, who did not attend the swearing-in ceremony of information commissioner Sujit Sarker at Raj Bhavan last week — something that triggered a controversy — will to attend this tea party, sources in chief minister’s office said.

The packing of the Governor’s books and other belongings have been begun. He is leaving behind the gifts he had received during his tenure.

Several names including the name of former Union home minister Shivraj Patil and Union minister for heavy industries Santosh Mohan Dev have come to the fore for the Governor’s post.