As Narendra Modi government prepares to take over, fate of governors hangs in balance

NEW DELHI: Fate of more than ten Governors, including Karnataka's H R Bhardwaj and Punjab's Shivraj V Patil, appointed by the outgoing UPA government hangs in balance with indications that the new dispensation may politely ask them to vacate the Raj Bhavans.

Officials said the Narendra Modi government, which will take charge tomorrow, is unlikely to go for wholesale sacking of the Governors but there is every possibility that some of them may be politely asked to put in papers to pave way for new appointments.

"It is quite normal for a new government to ask some of the occupants of Raj Bhavans to resign as their scheme of things may not suit those holding the high constitutional posts," an official said.

Among the Governors, Bhardwaj (Karnataka), Jagannath Pahadiya (Haryana), Devanand Konwar (Tripura) and Margaret Alva (Rajasthan) will complete their full five-year term in next three-four months.

While Bhardwaj had a strained relationship with the previous BJP government in Karnataka, Alva reportedly shares cordial relations with Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

Those who will complete their tenure in six to eight months are - Kamla Beniwal (Gujarat), M K Narayanan (West Bengal), J B Patnaik (Assam), Patil (Punjab) and Urmila Singh (Himachal Pradesh).

Beniwal's spat with the Modi government in Gujarat over appointment of Lokayukta in the state is well known.