<p>With only two UPA government-appointed governors putting in their papers after a “nudge” from Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami, the government is said to be reassessing its strategy to effect changes in the Raj Bhavans.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Last week, the governors of Uttar Pradesh and Chattisgarh, B L Joshi and Shekhar Dutta, had resigned while the government had expected at least a dozen governors to quit.<br />In all, the Home Secretary is said to have spoken to 18 governors.<br /><br />But with the outrage caused by his action, there appeared to be a “rethinking” on effecting the changes, official sources said while not ruling out the possibility of a fresh initiative later.<br /><br />Interestingly, some governors, who were not contacted in the first place, also called up the Home Secretary to find out if they were on the “hit list.”<br /><br />The sources said West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan may quit soon with the CBI expected to ask him to join the probe into the purchase of VVIP helicopters.<br /><br />Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayan, who had publicly refused to resign unless asked in writing by an appropriate authority, was expecting the Congress leadership to give him the signal to quit.<br /><br />Former home minister P Chidambaram had said two days ago that the government must respect the wishes of the governors, whether they wanted to stay or quit.<br /><br />Several Union ministers, belonging to the BJP, had denied that there was any move for “wholesale” sacking of the UPA-appointed governors after the Congress sharply criticised the government.<br /><br />With the criticism that the government’s approach to force the governors to exit would fall foul of the Supreme Court’s verdict of 2010, which forbade large-scale sacking for political reasons, there was a possibility that it might go slow on the matter.<br /><br />Initially, the BJP leaders apparently decided that they would let Congress-appointed governors retire on completion of their term over the next few months.<br /><br />Those who had a longer term could be transferred – rather than being given marching orders as that would go against the Supreme Court verdict of 2010.</p>
<p>With only two UPA government-appointed governors putting in their papers after a “nudge” from Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami, the government is said to be reassessing its strategy to effect changes in the Raj Bhavans.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Last week, the governors of Uttar Pradesh and Chattisgarh, B L Joshi and Shekhar Dutta, had resigned while the government had expected at least a dozen governors to quit.<br />In all, the Home Secretary is said to have spoken to 18 governors.<br /><br />But with the outrage caused by his action, there appeared to be a “rethinking” on effecting the changes, official sources said while not ruling out the possibility of a fresh initiative later.<br /><br />Interestingly, some governors, who were not contacted in the first place, also called up the Home Secretary to find out if they were on the “hit list.”<br /><br />The sources said West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan may quit soon with the CBI expected to ask him to join the probe into the purchase of VVIP helicopters.<br /><br />Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayan, who had publicly refused to resign unless asked in writing by an appropriate authority, was expecting the Congress leadership to give him the signal to quit.<br /><br />Former home minister P Chidambaram had said two days ago that the government must respect the wishes of the governors, whether they wanted to stay or quit.<br /><br />Several Union ministers, belonging to the BJP, had denied that there was any move for “wholesale” sacking of the UPA-appointed governors after the Congress sharply criticised the government.<br /><br />With the criticism that the government’s approach to force the governors to exit would fall foul of the Supreme Court’s verdict of 2010, which forbade large-scale sacking for political reasons, there was a possibility that it might go slow on the matter.<br /><br />Initially, the BJP leaders apparently decided that they would let Congress-appointed governors retire on completion of their term over the next few months.<br /><br />Those who had a longer term could be transferred – rather than being given marching orders as that would go against the Supreme Court verdict of 2010.</p>
