Hope Governors appointed by UPA govt will continue under NDA: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress today said it expects the Governors appointed during its rule to be retained and it has not asked such appointees to resign in the wake of change of guard at the Centre.

"The party gives no directions to those appointed to Constitutional positions. We have a complete hands-off policy. Irrespective of change of government, constitutional mandate, decorum and tradition need to be respected by the government of the day, that is our expectation."

"We expect the government of the day to follow primary norms, traditions and practices of continuation of constitutionally-appointed persons to high offices," Party spokesman Randeep Surjewala said.

He was reacting to a query whether the Congress high command has asked the Governors to quit in the wake of change of guard.

Media reports have it that the fate of more than ten Governors, including Karnataka's H R Bhardwaj and Punjab's Shivraj V Patil, appointed by the previous 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 is unlikely to go for wholesale sacking of Governors but there is every possibility that some of them may be politely asked to put in papers to pave the 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 five-year term in the next three-four months.