archive: Digvijay adds a footnote to resignation
Digvijay adds a footnote to resignation
Political Bureau
The Economic Times
May 21, 1999
Title: Digvijay adds a footnote to resignation
Author: Political Bureau
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: May 21, 1999
The resignation drama staged by four Congress chief ministers ran into
trouble today when Madhya Pradesh governor Bhai Mahavir publicly posed
an embarrassing question: how is it that the state government
continues to function if chief minister Digvijay Singh has already
resigned?
The comment raised eye-brows among observers be-cause if the chief
minister had to resign, the governor would he the first to know of it
since the resignation would have to he submitted to him. Albeit, as
governor Bhai Mahavir should not give credence to media reports, say
sources.
On the other hand, his comment has exposed the chief minister's action
for what it is - a public gesture to pressurise Sonia Gandhi.
Besides, it prompted Digvijay Singh to swiftly react: he clarified
that the three chief ministers had only "offered" to resign since they
were appointed by Sonia Gandhi.
He said Sonia Gandhi had asked him to continue as chief minister,
which he did.
Bhai Mahavir's comment, according to sources, is more a comment on the
state of relations between him and Digvijay Singh.
Relations between the two have been strained ever since he was
appointed. The Congress government is of the view that he is a BJP
sympathiser who's been imposed on them.
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