M A I N   N E W S

Left, BJP want Buta to step down
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 24
Within minutes of the Supreme Court verdict on the Bihar’s Assembly dissolution, the Left and the BJP converged on the demand of the resignation of the Governor, Mr Buta Singh, bringing the UPA coalition under pressure.

While the main opposition party, the BJP, went a step further by charging the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, of misleading the President on the Assembly dissolution and demanded his resignation along with that of Mr Buta Singh, Left parties, which are providing the crucial outside support to the UPA government, insisted that “it will be appropriate for the Governor to step down” in the wake of the judgement.

he judgement in its totality suggests that if the Governor had misled the Council of Ministers, the Prime Minister as head of the government had misled the President into committing an unconstitutional act,” the Leader of the Opposition and senior BJP leader, Mr L.K. Advani, told an impromptu press conference at his residence here.

Mounting an offensive on the government, Mr Advani also held the UPA Chairperson, Ms Sonia Gandhi, “accountable” for the government’s decision.

The CPI(M) said the Governor should resign in view of the judgement, while its Left ally, the CPI, demanded his immediate recall.

“In the light of this judgement, it will be appropriate for Mr Buta Singh to step down from the post of Governor,” the party Politburo said in a statement.

The party General Secretary, Mr Prakash Karat, said: “I don’t see any way other than Governor Buta Singh to step down.”

On the question of democratic norms regarding the role of the Governor during the government formation after an election and precautions to check arbitrariness, the Politburo said this needed to be discussed and decided.

“The problem is not solely of Governors having a political background as the majority judgement points out, but about the latitude and scope of the powers of the Governor,” it said. The CPI General Secretary, Mr A.B. Bardhan, meanwhile, said in view of the judgement, Mr Buta Singh’s continuance as Governor is “absolutely untenable” and the government should recall him.

“After the judgement it is not possible for him (Mr Buta Singh) to remain there…The judgement was on expected lines as the report of the Governor was sent not in a very objective and neutral manner,” Mr Bardhan said.

He said the Communists had always been critical of the post of Governor and the judgement further underlined its argument that the job of a Governor should be more clearly defined in the Constitution and in practice.

Fernandes, Advani to meet Kalam today
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 24
A delegation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by its Convenor George Fernandes and senior BJP leader L.K. Advani will call on President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Wednesday afternoon to demand the removal of Bihar Governor Buta Singh.