PC Alexander quits, hopes for new deal

What is, however, curious is why he has taken a month to put in his papers and this has triggered off speculation over the motives. He said he would disclose the reasons after he ceases to be Governor.

With the Election Commission’s notification expected on the Vice Presidential election tomorrow, questions began to be raised on whether the timing of his decision was linked to the vice-presidency. But Alexander scotched these rumours: ‘‘There is no proposal for vice-presidency.’’

The idea is a non-starter for the simple reason that it would have been very difficult for the BJP to have both the President and the Vice-President from the south and belonging to the minority community.

The party would have had a near revolt on its hands from within the BJP and an outcry from the Sangh Parivar, particularly when it can clearly get its own partyman elected to the post. Moreover, the nomination of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for vice-president is a near certainty. He was sounded out by Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and Deputy PM Advani on the day of the reshuffle.

However, his candidature is expected to be finalised only on July 15 when the NDA is slated to meet to decide its candidate. But the BJP’s allies seem to have no objection to Shekhawat’s name and have decided that the post should go to a BJP man. The Governor sent his letter of resignation to the President but did not call on K R Narayanan even though a governor is the President’s appointee, and this has raised eyebrows on Raisina Hill.

There has been no love lost between Alexander and Narayanan, and the President was expected to stand for a second term if the NDA had fielded Alexander. On the other hand, Alexander made it a point to call on both the Prime Minister and Advani.

Moreover, he sent both Vajpayee and Advani copies of his letter of resignation with covering notes, thanking them for giving him a second term.

Appointed Governor of Maharashtra by Rao in January 1993, his extension was facilitated by the Shiv Sena and he had established a special rapport with Balasaheb Thackeray.

Advani told reporters that the resignation had been sent to the President for acceptance. Normally Governors send their resignations to the President and he in turn refers them to the Government seeking its recommendation.

There have, however, also been instances when a Governor has sent his resignation to the PM and he has forwarded it to the President with the recommendation to accept it.

Alexander’s detractors say that his resignation could be calculated to put pressure on the Government to give him another assignment, like an ambassadorship or governorship of another state. And that he has to strike now when the iron is hot and he has been so badly let down by the Government.

For instance, without his resignation, his appointment as Governor to another state would be tantamount to a mere transfer and therefore a six-month term. He was due to retire in January 2003. However, his reappointment as Governor after acceptance of his resignation would mean he would get a full term of five years.

But having been principal secretary to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and an advisor to Narasimha Rao, having been Maharashtra Governor for nine and a half years, having held assignments in the UN before Indira Gandhi brought him here, and having been considered a presidential possibility, it would be very difficult for Alexander to accept an appointment in Government in an advisory capacity—unless he is brought into the Cabinet.

He has told friends that he had turned down Narasimha Rao’s offer in 1992 to send him as Ambassador to Washington after Abid Hussain was recalled.

And yet, those who know him say he’s not given to giving up easily. Civil servants recall how he had made a fuss that he should be paid three months salary because he had been asked to resign as Rajiv Gandhi’s Principal Secretary after an alleged spy scandal involving PMO officials came to light.

Alexander, however, countered questions on whether he was bargaining for some post, asserting that he had crossed that stage. ‘‘I have never asked for anything and posts have come to me.’’

Alexander’s resignation would leave the field open for the BJP to appoint a hardcore supporter as Governor there. The BJP, which has high stakes in Mahrashtra, would like to topple the government in Mumbai and hold elections in the state along with the polls in Gujarat which are expected to take place in early October.

Determined to reverse the trend of electoral reverses it has faced recently, it banks on a spillover effect of Gujarat in Maharasthra, to help get both states under its belt. Alexander has requested the President that his resignation should take effect from July 13 and it is around this date that things are expected to hot up in Maharashtra.

Though the government survived by the skin of its teeth recently, the threat to it is by no means over. Narayan Rane and Gopinath Munde were in capital a couple of weeks ago on a mission, which was kept low key, to plan the demise of the Congres-NCP ministry.