Governors appointed during UPA regime should quit on their own: Kiran Bedi

Former IPS officer and social activist Kiran Bedi, who has been praising the leadership qualities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi even before he took oath, on Tuesday supported the NDA government`s decision, saying Governors appointed during UPA regime should quit on their own.

Zee Media Bureau/Sushmita Dutta

New Delhi: Former IPS officer and social activist Kiran Bedi, who has been praising the leadership qualities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi even before he took oath, on Tuesday supported the NDA government`s decision, saying Governors appointed during UPA regime should quit on their own.

“They should resign on their own, it goes without saying. Self respecting people would do that,” Kiran Bedi told reporters here.

She took on to the microblogging website twitter and wrote - “Appointments which are by a poli-party in power,with change of mandate, self respecting appointees shud offer to resign,unless asked to stay.” (sic)

In a surprising move, as per reports the NDA government today asked some of the Governors appointed during UPA regime to quit in the wake of change of government.

According to reports, the Congress-led UPA government in 2004, did the same thing, which analysts are persevering the reason behind the present Centre`s move.
Reports say that the newly-formed government is mulling changing the Governors in Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal.

Though nothing has been officially disclosed, it is understood that some of the Governors including K Shankaranarayanan of Maharashtra, MK Narayanan (West Bengal), Uttar Pradesh Governor BL Joshi and Kamla Beniwal (Gujarat) were told to step down.

Later, UP Governor BL Joshi resigned today.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh reportedly commented that if he were in their place he would have quit.
Kerala Governor Sheila Dikshit, a former Delhi Chief Minister, who was also reportedly spoken to by Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami, said she cannot comment on media reports.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva met Prime Minister Narendra Modi which was described as a courtesy call. She is also scheduled to call on the President Pranab Mukherjee.

Alva, who completes her five year term in August, is understood to have not been sounded out yet.

Karnataka Governor HR Bhardawaj, who like Beniwal did not share good rapport with the BJP government in the state, also called on the President today.

Assam Governor JB Patnaik also met the President.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said that the incumbent Governors should have resigned themselves as most of them were appointed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and not on merit.

As per reports, MM Joshi may be appointed as the Governor of Maharashtra and Jaswant Singh, who contested the General Elections as an Independent candidate from Barmer, may be appointed as the Governor of Tamil Nadu.

Besides Joshi and Jaswant, others like Lalji Tandon, Kesri Nath Tripathi, VK Malhotra, Kalyan Singh, Shanta Kumar and BC Khanduri, who didn`t get any Cabinet post, are said to be in the race for the Governor’s post.

With agency inputs

Zee News App: Read latest news of India and world, bollywood news, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Zee news app now to keep up with daily breaking news and live news event coverage.