Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit Resigns Amid Political Turmoil
In a surprising turn of events, Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit tendered his resignation on Saturday, citing “personal reasons.” In his resignation letter, he stated that due to his own personal reasons and other commitments as well, he is resigning from the post of governor of Punjab and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh.
The announcement comes just a day after Purohit’s meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. The resignation follows the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) sweeping victory in the Chandigarh mayoral polls, securing all three posts, dealing a blow to the Congress-Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alliance. Despite the BJP’s success, the opposition raised concerns about ballot paper tampering.
On Wednesday, the Punjab and Haryana High Court denied interim relief to the AAP, which had sought fresh polls under the supervision of a retired judge. In response, the Supreme Court agreed to consider an AAP councilor’s request for an urgent hearing challenging the high court order.
Banwarilal Purohit had previously clashed with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over various issues. The political landscape in Punjab remains tense, with ongoing legal battles and allegations of electoral malpractice adding to the uncertainty. Purohit’s resignation adds a new dimension to the evolving political scenario in the region.This discord traces back to last August when Governor Purohit warned Chief Minister Mann in a letter, stating that he might recommend President’s rule in the state and initiate criminal proceedings if his letters were not addressed. In his most recent communication to Mann, Purohit expressed frustration over the lack of responses to his previous letters and warned of reporting the “failure of constitutional mechanisms” to the President.
In response, Chief Minister Mann accused the Governor of threatening the peace-loving people of the state. Mann emphasized that law and order were under control, brushing aside the Governor’s concerns. The resignation of Governor Purohit adds another layer of complexity to the already strained relationship between the state government and the central authority.
