Yashwant Sinha, VP Malik may become governors

NEW DELHI: With eight states and a Union territory without a full-time governor, the search for suitable appointees is on in the central government. Candidates for the post include former finance minister Yashwant Sinha, former minister of state for communication in the Vajpayee government, Kabindra Purkayastha, and former Army chief General VP Malik. According to top sources in the government, another former minister Jayawantiben Mehta is also in the reckoning. “People have been talking about a Cabinet reshuffle, but vacancies in the Raj Bhawan is more dire. Names of these leaders along with some more people from professional fields, retired bureaucrats and policemen are also being considered,” said a top source in the government

Sinha’s name had been making the rounds for chairman of the proposed BRICS bank to be set up in China and later also as governor of J&K. “At the time, his son, Minister of State for Finance, was being considered for the Union Council of Ministers. So both couldn’t be done. Junior Sinha got his chance,” said the source.

“A retired bureaucrat from Bihar, who also happens to be from a Dalit community, is also in the race. It will be a representative group,” said the source.

Kabindra Purkayastha, former MP from Silchar in Assam, is an important face for the party in the northeast. BJP is expecting to do well in Assam in the upcoming assembly polls next year.