The Hindu : Alexander quits as Governor

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 10, 2002

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Alexander quits as Governor

By Harish Khare

NEW DELHI JULY 9. The Maharashtra Governor, P. C. Alexander, has resigned. He sent in his resignation to the President, K. R. Narayanan, on Monday. The President has been advised by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, to accept Dr. Alexander's resignation.

There was no explanation for the sudden resignation, though there were indications that the Maharasthra Governor was negotiating a new political future for himself. Dr. Alexander was in town today, and met the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Deputy Prime Minister, Lal Kishen Advani. The meetings were described as "courtesy calls.''

Most observers were inclined to believe that Dr. Alexander was feeling miffed at being denied the presidential nomination. The nomination was offered to him by the bosses of the National Democratic Alliance. But the offer was withdrawn in the face of considerable opposition from the Congress and the Telugu Desam. Ultimately, the nomination went to the eminent scientist, Abdul Kalam. Dr. Alexander had good reason to believe that he had been treated shabbily.

His resignation at this stage gave rise to speculation on whether he was in the fray for the Vice-President's post. However, in a brief interaction with mediapersons after meeting Mr. Advani, Dr. Alexander denied that he was a candidate for the Vice-Presidency. "There is no proposal for Vice-Presidency,'' he said, rejecting the suggestion that his resignation was meant as a bargaining chip. "I have crossed that stage. I have never asked for anything and posts have come to me.''

Dr. Alexander's disclaimer notwithstanding, it was learnt that he had settled for a seat in the Rajya Sabha. The deal was clinched at the meetings with Mr. Vajpayee and Mr. Advani, both of whom are reported to be of the view that perhaps the NDA owed the Maharashtra Governor a favour.

Dr. Alexander would be the joint nominee of the Nationalist Congress Party, the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party for the vacancy caused by the death of the NCP member, Mukesh Patel. Though Dr. Alexander still had eight months in his gubernatorial innings, he will now hope to get an assured five-and-a- half-years stay in the Rajya Sabha. And once in the Upper House, his services would be available to the Prime Minister in case Mr. Vajpayee wants an experienced hand in the Cabinet.

This would be the first time since the inception of the Congress-NCP coalition Government in Maharasthra that the two partners will find each other on opposing sides, unless the Congress decides to go along with the NCP leader, Sharad Pawar's choice. The Rajya Sabha vacancy belongs to the NCP "quota.'' Dr. Alexander enjoys an excellent rapport with the Shiv Sena chief, Bal Thackeray, as well as with Mr. Pawar, but the Congress leadership did not take kindly to his presidential candidature. Indications are that the Congress may not grudge this old Indira Gandhi loyalist a Rajya Sabha seat.

PTI reports:

The Maharashtra Chief Minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh, held consultations with the Congress central leadership tonight on the political situation in the State. Mr. Deshmukh, who arrived in the capital late in the evening, held talks with the AICC general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra, Vayalar Ravi. He also met the treasurer, Motilal Vora.

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