Modi loses more ground with change of guard at Raj Bhavan

Sacking of Gujarat governor Kailashpati Mishra by the President A P J Abdul Kalam and assigning the charge to Madhya Pradesh governor Balram Jakhar has made the position of the chief minister Narendra Modi weaker.

After BJP fared poorly in the state in the last Lok Sabha polls, voices of dissidence had cropped up in the party against Modi.

Modi, who had to attend the guard of honour ceremony for Jakhar at the Sardar Vallbhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Friday evening to follow protocol, was looking unusually calm.

Modi preferred to avoid the media on Friday.

The outgoing governor Mishra, known as a person who has close ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), was in office for over two years.

Shankersinh Vaghela, Union textile minister and former chief minister, said, "The former governor was acting on behalf of the BJP government at the Centre and he was a strong RSS man. Now with his ouster, our demand for dismissal of Modi will gain further momentum."

Asked who could be the new governor as Jakhar is here on additional charge, Vaghela said, "Anyone who will be better than the earlier one and who knows his job. The governor should work above any party's agenda."

Rajendrasinh Rana, state BJP president, could not be reached for his comments.

A senior BJP leader and member of the Modi cabinet, requesting anonymity, said, "We have been expecting a political turmoil after the results of the general elections were out. But we did not expect such a blow at this time. There are speculations that former chief election commissioner J M Lyngdoh may take over as the governor of the state. In that case, a political conflict with the chief minister is on the cards."

Lyngdoh, during his term as the Chief Election Commissioner, had criticised the Modi government on various occasions. He had also come down heavily on the state bureaucracy and police for the way they handled the post-Godhra communal riots in 2002.

Though the BJP leadership in Delhi and Gujarat is not happy with the development on Friday, Modi dissidents now have a reason to cheer.

Though their demand for change of chief minister was turned down by the party's national president Venkaiah Naidu, the presence of the new governor can pose a "threat" to Modi, they believe.

Though former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had initially said Modi's ouster may be discussed at the party's national executive meeting in Mumbai, the meeting did not make any move in that direction.

"According to the Constitution, the governor can even dissolve the assembly and call for fresh polls. The party may be supporting Modi in view of the coming assembly elections in Maharashtra, but BJP cannot stop a governor from following his conscience," said a Modi dissident on condition of anonymity.

The question now is whether Jakhar will become the full-time governor of Gujarat or a new person will be installed at the Raj Bhavan.

Jakhar, a former Speaker of the Lok Sabha, is an authority on constitutional affairs.