Anil Baijal as lt Governor is a wise choice
In the normal course, the appointment of a lieutenant Governor does not create more than a ripple. There may be a few voices of discontent here and there who would accuse the Government of the day of selecting its own, but nobody takes them seriously. After all, any Government appoints people it is comfortable with, to key positions. At times, the Government continues with its predecessor's choice. But the case of Delhi has been different. As lt Governor, Najeeb Jung had constantly been in conflict mode with the elected Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regime led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. After he abruptly put in his papers recently, speculation was rife on his resignation and his successor. The first, Jung has put to rest by categorically stating that he had quit on personal grounds. The second too has been taken care of, with the Union Government choosing a retired veteran bureaucrat Anil Baijal as the new lt Governor of Delhi. Rumour mills have already begun working overtime, churning out possible scenarios that relate to Baijal and the Kejriwal Government coming face to face, once the new person settles down. To begin with, there are few people who can find fault with Anil Baijal's credentials. He served as Union Home Secretary with distinction during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's prime ministership. When the Congress-led UPA came to power, Baijal was shunted out. He had a term as Union Urban Development Secretary, after which he retired from service almost a decade ago. He had also served as Vice Chairman of Delhi Development Authority. As all these assignments indicate, Baijal is not only experienced but has varied experience. This should serve him well in his new assignment as Delhi's lt Governor. It's often incorrect to make comparisons, but it must be said that both, Baijal and his predecessor Jung share a strong commitment to the rule of law and are disinclined to bend it to suit others. The media is awash with reports of Baijal's no-nonsense style of work, which was displayed in the various assignments he handled in his long career. Media reports have it that Baijal prefers a low-profile style of work and would rather not engage in needless confrontations. Many creases can be ironed out, away from media glare. This quality could come in handy when he has to deal with the AAP Government which, unfortunately, had shown a robust desire to not just confront Jung but also call him names.
Now, much will depend on Chief Minister Kejriwal and his team’s resolve to change their behaviour. If they persist with the sort of defiance they displayed during Jung's tenure or resort to rhetoric in the public space, even the soft-spoken Baijal may be driven to take a hard position. But for now, it would be unfair to assume that the two will clash or that there will be bad blood or ill-will between the elected Government of Delhi and the Centre's nominee. The AAP may well abandon its aggression and reach out to the new appointee. Indeed, one does hope for Delhi's sake that the incoming lt Governor and the Kejriwal regime get along well. Neither should the AAP Government view him with suspicion because he is an NDA appointee nor should Baijal conduct himself in a way that he is labelled as an ‘agent' of the Centre.