Former IAS officer Shekhar Dutt surprised many in Chhattisgarh as he decided to end his four-year-long undisputed tenure as Governor of the mineral-rich State and resigned from his post.
Dutt who took oath as Governor of Chhattisgarh on January 23, 2010, stepped down on Wednesday when he met President Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi. It is not clear whether his resignation has been formally accepted or not.
Dutt's move came as a total surprise in State's political as well as in bureaucratic circles as he enjoyed a highly coordinal relationship with the BJP regime in Chhattisgarh.
The tenure of former Defence Secretary Dutt who belonged to 1969 batch of IAS from Madhya Pradesh cadre, will always be remembered for his simplicity and fondness for the people of Chhattisgarh.
Reports say that Dutt decided to quit the post in response to the newly-formed BJP-led NDA Government's drive to seek resignations from all UPA regime-appointed Governors.