Shivraj Patil, JB Patnaik may be appointed governors

NEW DELHI: Orissa Congress veteran JB Patnaik and former Union home minister Shivraj Patil are in the list of probables from the ruling party for a governor posting.

There is speculation that Mr Patil’s name could be in the reckoning for the Punjab Raj Bhawan though the Congress-led government has a large number of options for leaders it wants to make governors.

Punjab governor General Rodrigues’ term expired recently and those of SS Sidhu (Goa), Gopal Krishna Gandhi (West Bengal) and Syed Sibtey Razi (Assam) will end in December.

The Gujarat governor’s post also needs to be filled as Maharashtra governor SC Jamir is holding additional charge of the neighbouring state’s Raj Bhawan.

Top Congress sources indicated that the government had shortlisted the names for the gubernatorial postings which could be announced soon.

A top leader said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could clear the names before leaving for his US trip.