Romesh Bhandari Resigns, May Join Active Politics

Romesh Bhandari has finally resigned as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.

Bhandari told a press conference yesterday that he had sent in his resignation to the President and had informed the Chief Minister. He did not rule out joining active politics in future although he first intends to relax with his family and write a book on his experiences as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh..

He upheld all his actions as the Governor of the state, including the dismissal of the Kalyan Singh government as constitutional.

It is to Bhandaris credit that he made no effort to stick to his office or even try to get pally with the new power in Delhi. He stood firmly by the actions of his parent party, the Congress, and his new found ally, the Samajwadi Party, irrespective of their brazenness.

 

It is not yet known whether he will be sent to Rajya Sabha by the Samajwadi Party. But his departure will certainly give the state BJP a major boost. However, this is not the last that the BJP will see of Bhandari. He has become a part of the anti-BJP formation in the country and will have some useful role to play in that capacity in future.

Meanwhile, the speaker, Kesri Nath Tripathi, is to receive today the report of the one-man panel investigating into the disturbances in the Vidhan Sabha on October 21, 1997, when Kalyan Singh faced a trust vote. The report is expected to pull up several Opposition members and the speaker may recommend action against them and even have them expelled.

This is seen as a method through which the BJP may get a majority in the House even in the unlikely event of the speaker disqualifying the members of the Jantantrik BSP, for crossing the floor without having one third majority of the parent party.

The two decisions may be announced simultaneously on March 24 when the House will meet for a short session to pass a vote on accounts.