A man of firm decisions, UP Governor could decide state's fate

Governor BL Joshi may have kept himself out of the headlines for the last two and a half years. But come Tuesday when the Uttar Pradesh assembly election results are announced, the Governor who has maintained a low profile throughout his tenure might find himself firmly in the limelight. [caption id=“attachment_234124” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Governor BL Joshi is expected to decide on Mayawati’s request to dissolve the UP Assembly and whom to invite to form the next government. Image courtesy Raj Bhavan Lucknow”] [/caption] Joshi, a former IPS official who has worked in the Ministry of Home Affairs, is to see his term as UP Governor to end on April 11. Having served under Prime Ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi, Joshi was also with Indian High Commission in the Islamabad Embassy in Washington. Joshi  reportedly enjoys the trust of the Gandhi family since the 1960s when he was among those who looked after the security of the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. After seeking voluntary retirement, Joshi moved to the US, where he was appointed a Director with two firms and also worked with an NGO that awarded scholarships to bright and needy students in India. After returning to India, he was appointed Lt. Governor of Delhi and then served as Governor of Meghalaya and Uttarakhand respectively. A man of firm decisions, Joshi ‘ has no second thoughts ’ once he has taken a decision but is also known not to sign any documents forwarded by the government if he disagrees with them. With a state that has returned a majority verdict only once since 1991 and exit polls predicting a similar result this year, Joshi has reportedly been preparing himself. The Governor has reportedly been holding several meetings with his staff which includes legal advisors, according to a DNA report. Joshi reportedly has been reading up on the proceedings following the election results that were out in 1993, 1996 and 2002 elections when no single political party won a majority. The Governor’s day might start early. He is expected to receive a letter from Chief Minister Mayawati seeking the dissolution of the Uttar Pradesh assembly before the results are announced. A departure from traditional procedure, all eyes will be on the Governor to see whether he will recommend President’s rule or will ask the Chief Minister to continue until the results are conclusive and a party can claim majority. However, he may have a brief respite from the heat of UP politics on Tuesday as results are announced and possible permutations to the government are discussed. The Governor will be reportedly be accompanying the President to a function in Bareilly and is expected to be back in Raj Bhavan only in the evening.