Amid reports that some UPA-appointed Governors may not quit on their own, Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan maintained that he would consider quitting if only asked by an “appropriate decision-making authority” as West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan also sought to state that he “has not resigned yet”.
“Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami called me twice last week (asking to demit office). I didn’t reply to him ... The Governor’s post is a constitutional post. He is a representative of the President, he is appointed by the President. No responsible person has asked me anything in writing to (be) relieved of the post.”
“There is no vacuum in the Governor’s post. No position in a democracy is permanent. If an appropriate decision-making authority asks me (to quit), I will definitely think over it,” he told a Malayalam TV channel.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Bl Joshi on Tuesday resigned after being reportedly asked by the Centre. Governor of Maharashtra, however, does not seem to be inclined to follow his UP counterpart.
82-year-old Sankaranara-yanan has been serving as Maharashtra Governor since January 22, 2010. He took oath as Governor of the State for a second time on May 7, 2012 after the President granted him a fresh term of 5 years.
Goswami’s call to Narayanan was part of the Narendra Modi Government’s efforts to remove some Governors appointed by the UPA Government.
In a similar vein, West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan has also said, “I have not resigned yet”. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met Narayanan following reports that a central move was afoot to remove Governors.
“I have not yet resigned,” Narayanan told newspersons on the sidelines of a programme at Kolkota amidst reports that the Centre has asked a number of Governors, appointed during the UPA regime, to resign.
The Governor, however, did not say anything when specifically asked whether he had got any official communication from the Union Home Ministry.
Asked whether he was thinking to resign, Narayanan said, “I am not obliged to say what I am going to do. I will let you know when I take decision.”
As the new BJP dispensation at the Centre seeks to remove some of the Governors appointed by the previous Government, Governors of several States have, during the week, made a flurry of visits to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Assam Governor JB Patnaik on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi after visiting the President on Tuesday. After meeting the President, Patnaik had told reporters that he has not resigned. “If there is a rumour (about his resignation) I cannot help,” he said.
Patnaik, a former Congress Chief Minister of Odisha said that meeting the President, who is his friend, did not mean that he was resigning. Earlier this week, Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva also paid visits to the President and the PM.