Cong demands Kalyan Singh’s sacking as guv over poll code violation

The Congress on April 4 demanded that Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh be sacked after the Election Commission wrote to the President pointing to poll code violation by him.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claimed this was the first time in the history of India that a governor openly campaigned for a Prime Minister. He alleged Singh “tarnished” the established traditions and accepted norms of the office of governor. “He has no right to stay on the post of governor even for a minute,” Surjewala told reporters here, adding the Congress moved the President the day Singh made the comments in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Asked whether the party had sought time from President Ram Nath Kovind to press their demand, Surjewala said, “We have (already) requested his secretariat to give us time so that we personally meet him and urge upon him to remove Kalyan Singh Ji as Governor.”

He said the President was on a trip abroad and returned just on April 4.

Addressing BJP workers at his Aligarh residence on March 23, Singh had reportedly said, “All of us are BJP workers and we want the party to win. We want Modiji to become the Prime Minister. It is necessary that Modiji becomes the Prime Minister again.”

Singh made these remarks to placate some agitated BJP members who had gathered outside his house over ticket distribution. The EC had examined the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister’s remarks in the light of model code of conduct as holding a constitutional post makes him “apolitical.”

The poll panel had concluded that Singh’s remarks supporting the return of Narendra Modi as prime minister were violative of the model code. On Tuesday, the EC had written to the President pointing to the violation of model code of conduct by the Rajasthan Governor by making political comments.

The President is understood to have on April 4 forwarded the EC letter to the Home Ministry for examination as per the laid down procedures.” It is a normal procedure. The home ministry, after receiving the letter, is expected to take legal opinion on it before formulating its opinion,” a source said.