The UPA Government has zeroed in on the names of senior BJP leaders who will be appointed Governors to States where the occupants of the Raj Bhavans have resigned following a nudge from the Modi Government at the Centre. Former Petroleum Minister and veteran BJP leader from Maharashtra Ram Naik could be appointed as the new Governor of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and party veteran from Kerala, Rajagopal could go to Karnataka.
Naik will go in place of Bl Joshi who resigned on June 17 after the NDA Government urged seven Governors to put in their papers. A veteran parliamentarian and man of repute, Naik will have his hands full since a section of the BJP has been demanding imposition of President’s Rule in the State in view of the deteriorating law and order situation.
Former Speaker of UP Assembly Keshri Nath Tripathi’s name has also been shortlisted for being appointed as Governor. He could go to Assam if the Centre succeeds in persuading incumbent JB Patnaik to put in his papers. Another senior BJP leader from UP, lalji Tandon who gave up his lucknow lok Sabha seat for Rajnath Singh, may be appointed as Governor of Uttarakhand.
Sources said senior BJP leader O Rajagopal, who came a close second to Congress’s Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram may go as new Governor of Karnataka in place of Hansraj Bhardwaj. Bhardwaj completes his five-year tenure as Karnataka’s Governor by the weekend.
The list of Governors prepared by the Home Ministry in consultation with the BJP leadership will be approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi by June 30 and then sent to President Pranab Mukherjee for completion of formality. The entire exercise is expected to be over within a week.
Other BJP seniors in the race are, Punjab leader Balram Das Tandon, former BJP MP lalji Tandon, and Delhi BJP veteran VK Malhotra.
Former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha was also tipped to be appointed as a Governor, but he wants to play an active part in Jharkhand politics and pitch himself as a Chief Ministerial candidate when the Assembly election takes place there in January.
The Governors of UP, Chhattisgarh and Nagaland have already quit while those of West Bengal (MK Narayanan) and Goa (BV Wanchoo) have indicated their willingness to put in their papers.
While Tripura’s Governor Devanand Konwar’s tenure is ending on June 28, the Centre is also expected to move out Jagannath Pahadia of Haryana, Ram Naresh Yadav of Madhya Pradesh and K Sankaranarayanan of Maharashtra.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said that the appointment of the new Governors is likely before the Budget Session of Parliament begins on July 7. “A concrete situation on the appointment of new Governors will emerge in three to four days,” Rajnath said.
Meanwhile, the BJP and RSS have almost ended the consultation process for appointment of new party president, and a formal announcement of Amit Shah’s name is expected by the weekend. Senior RSS leaders Bhaiyaji Joshi, Suresh Soni and Dattatreya Hosabale met on Thursday evening to discuss the matter. The RSS leaders are in touch with the BJP on the issue.