Governors seek options as Government stands firm

The Centre is showing no signs of compromise with Congress-appointed Governors, standing firm in its position that they must resign.

The Congress leaders-turned-Governors are on a path of collision and have maintained that they will not remit their offices unless the Centre gives them written orders.

Those who are ready to obey the informal telephonic orders of Home Secretary Anil Goswami are bureaucrat-turned-Governors. After former IPS officer and Uttar Pradesh Governor BL Joshi's resignation, former Defence Secretary and Chhattisgarh Governor Shekhar Dutt resigned on Wednesday.

There are reports that West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan will also put in his papers soon.

Pressure is mounting on Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung too, as a section of the State BJP is unhappy with his actions. He had recently sent a team of officers to Gujarat to study the ‘Gujarat model’ of administration, an effort dubbed as a step to woo the Narendra Modi regime.

There are reports that Nagaland Governor Ashwani Kumar, a former CBI Director, may follow suit.

Another Governor who is finding himself in similar situation is Goa Governor Bharat Vir Wanchoo, also a former police officer.

The veteran politicians-turned-Governors, however, are sticking to the ground that there is no reason for them to resign unless the Centre writes to them citing specific reasons.

“How many times will I have to say that I am not resigning? There was no talk about my resignation. I have come to wish the new Home Minister,” Assam Governor JB Patnaik told reporters after his 15-minute meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh here on Thursday.

Other Governors, such as Sheila Dikshit, K Sankaranarayanan, Margaret Alva and HR Bharadwaj, have already conveyed to the Home Ministry that they are not ready to quit.

The Congress continues to question the Centre’s decision to remove UPA-appointed governors.

“Continuation of governors depends on the wish of the Centre. But if the governors are to be removed because of political reasons, then the Centre must also think whether it is right to remove apolitical persons who are working as governors in some States,” asked senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also criticised the Centre’s move.

“Unfortunately, Raj Bhavans have been pushed into political murk since long. I would have held NDA responsible had the governments before it not done such things. If the new government wants to change some of the governors, then it should talk to those governors,” he said.