BJP to spare governors nearing their term

NEW DELHI: The regime change at the Centre is expected to initiate a review of gubernatorial appointments. But the BJP has decided to tread with caution, allowing incumbents nearing the end of their tenure to complete their term and ensuring that the removal of governors is based on "good and compelling reasons" as laid down in a 2010 Supreme Court order.
A look at the remaining tenure of governors appointed by the erstwhile UPA government indicates that at least six incumbents — H R Bhardwaj (Karnataka), B L Joshi UP), S C Jamir (Odisha), Margaret Alva (Rajasthan), Jagannath Pahadiya (Haryana) and Devanand Konwar (Tripura) — may be allowed to continue as their term expires in a month or two. However the ones who have a longer tenure left may have to immediately make way for NDA appointees. This means that Shiela Dikshit, who was named Kerala governor only in March this year, could be on her way out.
There are other governors with four to eight months of their tenure still remaining. They are Kamla Beniwal (Gujarat), who has had an uneasy relationship with Modi while he was chief minister, J B Patnaik (Assam), Shivraj V Patil (Punjab) and Urmila Singh (Himachal Pradesh). The Modi government will have to weigh whether to let them complete their terms or bring in replacements.
Other UPA appointees whose tenure is more likely to be up for review are Shiriniwas Dadasaheb Patil (Sikkim), D Y Patil (Bihar), K Sankaranarayanan (Maharashtra), Aziz Quershi (Uttarakhand), K Rosaiah (Tamil Nadu), Vakkom Purushothaman (Mizoram), Syed Ahmed (Jharkhand)and Ram Naresh Yadav (Madhya Pradesh).
As for former bureaucrats or senior Army officers occupying Raj Bhavans, the list mostly includes incumbents who were either appointed in 2012/2013 or are in the first half of their second terms. While Andhra Pradesh governor E S L Narasimhan and his West Bengal counterpart M K Narayanan have tenure until 2017, J&K governor N N Vohra's term expires even later in 2018. Though NDA may have to carefully weigh Narasimhan's removal, given that bifurcation process of Andhra Pradesh is under way, Narayanan and Vohra, both of whom are in their second terms, have a slim chance of holding on.
Other bureaucrats/Army officials who be awaiting NDA's call on their continuation in Raj Bhavan are Goa governor and alleged Gandhi family loyalist B V Wanchoo, Manipur governor V K Duggal who has barely completed five months in office, Chhattisgarh governor Shekhar Dutt, Arunachal governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma, Nagaland governor and former CBI chief Ashwani Kumar and Meghayala governor K K Paul.