Chandigarh, 03-02-2024 : Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator, Banwarilal Purohit, tendered his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday, citing personal reasons as the driving force behind his decision to step down from his dual responsibilities.
In his resignation letter, Purohit expressed, “Due to my personal reasons and certain other commitments, I tender my resignation from the post of governor of Punjab and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh. Please accept the same and oblige.” The unexpected move comes in the wake of a meeting between Purohit and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, held just a day before the submission of his resignation.
Notably, this development unfolded shortly after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a decisive victory in the Chandigarh mayoral polls, successfully retaining all three positions. The election results marked a setback for the Congress-Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alliance, which had raised allegations of ballot tampering by the presiding officer.
The legal battle surrounding the mayoral polls escalated when the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a division bench ruling on Wednesday, denied interim relief to the AAP. The party had sought fresh polls under the supervision of a retired judge from the court. Responding to the denial, the Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider an AAP councillor’s plea seeking an urgent hearing to challenge the high court’s order.
Banwarilal Purohit’s tenure had been marked by contentious relations with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on various fronts. The resignation, citing personal reasons, raises speculation and leaves room for political analysts to dissect the timing of the decision against the backdrop of recent political developments and electoral outcomes.