CHANDIGARH: Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit, who also serves as Chandigarh UT administrator, submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday, citing personal reasons.
Purohit’s resignation comes a day after his meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. Shah’s office had shared a picture of the meeting.
This follows BJP’s victory in Chandigarh mayoral elections on Jan 30, which sparked allegations of rigging from INDIA bloc, comprising AAP and Congress, prompting them to approach Punjab and Haryana HC.
Purohit assumed office in Sept 2021. His tenure of less than three years saw frequent clashes with Bhagwant Mann-led AAP govt over various issues. His relationship with Mann soured after the CM accused him of “ridiculing” the office of the governor, leading to verbal exchanges between the two.
Purohit also expressed dissatisfaction with Mann’s refusal to remove a “tainted” minister. The governor’s visits to border villages and objections to certain assembly sessions added to the friction.
The govt also criticized him for not approving five bills passed by the assembly last year.
On his resignation, AAP chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said: “For quite some time, the BJP leadership had been making the governor carry out unconstitutional tasks for political motives… Ultimately, the governor has listened to the voice of his conscience.”
Prior to his tenure in Punjab, Purohit had served as Tamil Nadu governor from 2017 to 2021 and of Assam from 2016 to 2017. He was a three-time MP for Nagpur, twice on a Congress ticket and once as a BJP member.
Purohit’s resignation comes a day after his meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. Shah’s office had shared a picture of the meeting.
This follows BJP’s victory in Chandigarh mayoral elections on Jan 30, which sparked allegations of rigging from INDIA bloc, comprising AAP and Congress, prompting them to approach Punjab and Haryana HC.
Purohit assumed office in Sept 2021. His tenure of less than three years saw frequent clashes with Bhagwant Mann-led AAP govt over various issues. His relationship with Mann soured after the CM accused him of “ridiculing” the office of the governor, leading to verbal exchanges between the two.
Purohit also expressed dissatisfaction with Mann’s refusal to remove a “tainted” minister. The governor’s visits to border villages and objections to certain assembly sessions added to the friction.
The govt also criticized him for not approving five bills passed by the assembly last year.
On his resignation, AAP chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said: “For quite some time, the BJP leadership had been making the governor carry out unconstitutional tasks for political motives… Ultimately, the governor has listened to the voice of his conscience.”
Prior to his tenure in Punjab, Purohit had served as Tamil Nadu governor from 2017 to 2021 and of Assam from 2016 to 2017. He was a three-time MP for Nagpur, twice on a Congress ticket and once as a BJP member.
