In Governors vs Government, Sheila Dikshit Fights Pressure to Quit: Sources

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government reportedly wants governors appointed by its predecessor to resign. Feelers were reportedly sent to Kerala Governor Sheila Dikshit, who has allegedly refused to quit.

Ms Dikshit, a former three-time Chief Minister, was made Kerala Governor in March after she led the Congress to a humiliating defeat in December's state election in Delhi, which saw the Congress being decimated after 15 years in power. Sources say that given her resistance to resigning, she could be shifted to a smaller state by the new BJP government.  

Home Ministry sources say other UPA-appointed governors who still have two years or more to complete their term are likely to be pressured to step down.  (Also Read: PM's Office Questions Ministers' Choices for Private Secretaries)

"The governors should resign themselves. They were appointed by Sonia Gandhi and not on merit," said BJP leader Subramanian Swamy.

But about seven governors seen as "out-and-out UPA appointees" will not be targeted by the new government because their terms will end in six months or less. These include the governors of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat.

The opposition Congress is alleging political vendetta. "Why are they worried about changing governors?" said Congress leader PC Chacko.

In 2004, the UPA government's decision to axe BJP-appointed governors led to a major political showdown. A BJP MP moved Supreme Court, which ruled in May 2010 that governors were not employees of the union government and cannot be removed "in an arbitrary and capricious manner with the change of power." The court said a governor can be replaced only under "compelling" reasons of misconduct or any other irregularity.

The escalating controversy over governors comes as the Prime Minister's Office has stopped eight ministers from appointing as their private secretaries top bureaucrats who had worked for UPA ministers.

The ministers who have been asked to pause on the appointments include Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani.