How to be a governor in the Modi sarkar: Be an obedient RSS loyalist

The first appointments made by the Modi government of five new Governors has sent a clear signal that BJP veterans who have toed the RSS line and “gracefully” complied with the unannounced edict of the party and sangh parivar to consider retiring from active politics, have been rewarded. This was seen most clearly in the last minute replacement of VK Malhotra with OP Kohli for the post of Gujarat Governor. Malhotra has never displayed any rebellious streak, but he was responsible for the BJP’s failed Delhi election campaign in 2008. He has also been considered close to LK Advani. Party sources said however, that given the services he has rendered to the party he could still be considered for an important assignment. But he will have to wait. [caption id=“attachment_1619211” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Ram Naik who is the new governor of Uttar Pradesh: PTI[/caption] OP Kohli, former Delhi BJP president and parliamentary party secretary, has been known for his organisational skills, though he has mostly stayed away from the limelight. Though he has been one of the most important regional leaders for the BJP in Delhi, he has not been in the running for any official position. So his appointment as Governor of Gujarat suggests that the RSS clearly had a say in a decision that officially falls into the domain of the Prime Minister and Home Minister. This also explains the slight delay in the issuing of Presidential orders for the appointment of new Governors. The released list names Ram Naik as the new Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Balramji Dass Tandon as the Governor of Chhattisgarh, Keshari Nath Tripathi as the Governor of West Bengal, Om Prakash Kohli as the Governor of Gujarat and Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya as Governor of Nagaland. Acharya has also been asked to discharge the functions of Governor of Tripura, in addition to his own duties, until regular arrangements for Tripura are made. Interestingly, all those selected for the high constitutional post have had strong RSS grooming. They all have, at least in the public perception, maintained austere lifestyles. They have also been important leaders in the BJP in their own right. They have been involved in electoral politics and held various positions in the government or in the party. However they have all been known for their direct linkage with the RSS. It is also noteworthy that Ram Naik, Keshari Nath Tripathi, Balramjidass Tandon, OP Kohli and Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya are all 75 plus in age. Though the party has never publicly announced or discussed a 75-plus age bar, it has become the unwritten age limit of this government. The onus has been to privately dissuade senior leaders from lobbying for posts, so as to avoid bad blood in public. While some seniors were given tickets and elected, no one over this age limit was made a minister in Modi’s government. Meanwhile four more governorships - that of Karnataka, Goa, Tripura and Puducherry are still vacant. More vacancies are expected to follow in the near future. Party sources said former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kailash Joshi who publicly announced his retirement from active politics could find his name in the second list, as could Kalyan Singh. A decision on the second list is expected after the Prime Minister’s return from the Brics summit. Meanwhile the process of getting resignations from a few more Governors as well as the transfer of Kerala Governor Sheila Dikshit to one of the north-eastern states could also take place. The possibility of Murli Manohar Joshi being made a Governor is at best, remote. Joshi is an MP from Kanpur and if he is made a Governor, he will have to resign from Parliament, thus necessitating a by-election in UP. The party leadership is in no mood to have a series of by-elections. Currently two seats - Vadodra due to Modi’s resignation and Beed due to Gopinath Munde’s death - have already fallen vacant. The party will not like to unnecessarily risk any by-election. A senior party functionary said post the elections however, that Joshi has been “dignified” in his conduct and could be considered for some other important assignment. Two days ago, LK Advani who had not been in sync with the changed power structure with the BJP was quietly dropped from the position of working Chairman of the BJP parliamentary party. Atal Behari Vajpayee’s name, which was notionally there as chairman has also been dropped. The argument was that there was no need to keep the post, which has now become only ornamental since Modi as Prime Minister and elected leader of the BJP parliamentary party is there to lead the party, both in Parliament and outside. The RSS has already declared that two of its senior functionaries Ram Madhav and Shiv Prakash will now assume important roles in the BJP. The synergy between the BJP and the RSS that was seen during the elections continues in matters of governance.