Mizoram governor Vakkom B Purushothaman has resigned
Mizoram governor Vakkom B Purushothaman, who was upset at being transferred to Nagaland, resigned on Friday, adding to the growing tally of UPA-era governors to exit since the Narendra Modi government took charge in May.
Mr Purushothaman had refused to take charge as Nagaland governor after his transfer to make way for Kamla Beniwal, who was shifted from Gujarat to Mizoram.
"The Governor is unhappy with the politicization of the post," sources close to him said.
Mr Purushothaman was quoted by the Press Trust of India as saying, "The transfer was made without consulting me."
The 86-year-old veteran Congress leader and former Kerala minister was sworn in as governor in 2011.
He is the sixth governor to resign in an ongoing drive by the Modi government to remove UPA-appointees in the top office. Many governors have received calls from Home Secretary Anil Goswami asking them to step down. Those nearing the end of their term have been allowed to continue.
Among them is Kamla Beniwal, who shared an uneasy relationship with Mr Modi when he was Gujarat Chief Minister. The 87-year-old was transferred to the northeast with just four months left in her term. She took charge in Mizoram on Wednesday. (read:
Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal, Who Took on Narendra Modi, Shifted)
Sheila Dikshit, who was appointed governor of Kerala by the previous Congress regime just before the national election, has so far ignored the government's suggestions to quit. On Wednesday, after meeting the Prime Minister and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, she said she had not been asked to resign. (
After Meeting PM, Sheila Dikshit No Closer to Quitting as Governor: Sources)
Ms Dikshit, a three-term Chief Minister of Delhi, was voted out of power in the December state polls.
The governors of Goa and West Bengal, BV Wanchoo and MK Narayanan, resigned after being questioned in connection with alleged irregularities in the purchase of 12 helicopters meant for VVIP use from AgustaWestland.
Three governors had resigned earlier - BL Joshi of Uttar Pradesh, Shekhar Dutt in Chhattisgarh and Ashwani Kumar, who was Nagaland governor. Two others were allowed to stay till their tenures ended last month - HR Bhardwaj (Karnataka) and Devanand Konwar (Tripura).