New Delhi, December 30
With the posts of Governor lying vacant in six states, the Congress-led UPA government is faced with an uphill task due to the dearth of apposite contenders, it is learnt.

Presently, the gubernatorial duties in three states — Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal — are being handled by the Governors of adjoining states on an additional charge working arrangement. And in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, the tenure of the respective Governors has already come to an end even as they continue to hold the charge.

While Chhattisgarh Governor ESL Narsimhan is holding the additional charge of Andhra Pradesh after the sudden exit of ND Tiwari following the surfacing of a sex scam showing his alleged involvement, Himachal Pradesh Governor Prabha Rau is looking after the affairs in Rajasthan after December 3 following incumbent SK Singh’s death.

The additional charge of West Bengal is being held by Bihar Governor Devanand Konwar. Here, the post fell vacant after Gopal Krishna Gandhi demitted office post his tenure completion on November 13. Gandhi, who is now said to have moved to Chennai, reportedly refused an extension.

In Punjab, the tenure of Lt-Gen SF Rodrigues ended on November 16. In the case of Punjab, a decision on the handing over of the charge of Administrator of Chandigarh to Punjab Governor is creating problems, as Haryana has protested the system that has been in place since 1984. The Home Ministry is keen on reverting back to the earlier practice of having a Chief Commissioner while another section of the ruling party believes that it could cause a political crisis as the SAD-BJP combine in Punjab could protest and find an issue to hit out at the Congress. A final decision is awaited.

The Congress could be looking for a former officer to be the Governor of Punjab where no politician has been appointed to the post since 1989. The name of BK Chaturvedi, a former Cabinet Secretary, is doing the rounds. The party does not want any politician lest it faces accusation from the SAD over “meddling”.

In Madhya Pradesh, the tenure of Rameshwar Thakur ended on November 17 while the Maharashtra Governor SC Jamir completed his term on July 16.

If sources within the party are to be believed, there seems to be a dearth of apt candidates who are acceptable to the constituents of the UPA and are also keen to work as Governor. The names of Sis Ram Ola, Arjun Singh, Shivraj Patil and Mohsina Kidwai are being considered.

Patil, it is learnt, is not keen on governorship and wants re-nomination to the Rajya Sabha from his home state Maharashtra.

Other names being considered include those of former Union Home Secretary K Padmanabhaiah, former Heavy Industries Minister Santosh Mohan Deb and former judge Rajinder Sachar. And yet again in the case of Arjun Singh and Ola, the party is seeing them as “very old”.

The Congress wanted Justice Sachar for West Bengal but the Left Front has opposed his name, as his report was critical of the CPM-led government of the state in handling of the minorities' problems.