The Hindu : National : Khurana to resign as Rajasthan Governor

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Sunday, Oct 24, 2004

National

National

Khurana to resign as Rajasthan Governor

Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, OCT. 23. The Rajasthan Governor, Madan Lal Khurana, is all set for a new innings in politics. Having got wind of his possible sacking or shifting from the Jaipur Raj Niwas, Mr. Khurana is calling on the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on Monday to put in his papers and return to active politics.

Mr. Khurana, who was in the city for the past three days, had sought an appointment with the President and the meeting has been fixed for October 25. Mr. Khurana met the Bharatiya Janata Party president, L.K. Advani, and the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and got their nod to put in his papers, just days before the United Progressive Alliance Government was to undertake a reshuffle of Governors. Mr. Khurana left for Jaipur this evening and is expected to cite the "closure of industries" in Delhi as a major reason for his having been "forced" to resign.

Mr. Khurana had hinted a number of times over the past few months that he was waiting for the right opportunity and approval from the party leadership to return to active politics.

He resigned as the Delhi BJP president following the party's defeat in the December 2003 Assembly polls. At the time of his appointment as the Rajasthan Governor, he firmly stated that his break from active politics was only temporary.

Possible plans

It is learnt that Mr. Khurana would be accommodated at the central level and might find a place in the new team of office-bearers Mr. Advani plans to announce in the next few days. Mr. Khurana's decision to quit the Raj Niwas may have been hastened by the move of the New Delhi Congress MP, Ajay Maken seeking the end of the closure of industries by the Delhi Government. His supporters are believed to have impressed upon Mr. Khurana that this was the right opportunity to resign and also wrest the initiative from the local BJP unit that has not been able to effectively take the issue to the people.

This development might not cause much worry to the Sheila Dikshit Government, but it will certainly turn the heat on the Congress Government at the Centre. It is understood that Mr. Khurana's decision also stems from the fact that there were reports that the UPA Government was planning to shift him to one of the North-eastern States.

Mr. Khurana's supporters are jubilant over reports about his return and see this as a chance for the BJP to stage a comeback in Delhi politics.

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