Buta: Days numbered?

Patna, Nov. 8: Controversial Bihar governor Buta Singh, already smarting under two strong indictments by the Supreme Court, today received another rap on the knuckle when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made his displeasure public without referring to him by name.

After addressing two election rallies in the state, the soft-spoken Prime Minister declared firmly at Patna airport: “I don’t like this controversy about the role of governors. It is an unfortunate development. Constitutional authorities should be above suspicion. They should conduct themselves in a manner that does not invite adverse comments. This is a view to which all parties should subscribe.”

Buta Singh completed an eventful year in Patna Raj Bhavan on Saturday. Barely three months after he took over, the Assembly election threw up a hung House.

The governor, however, failed to constitute the Assembly and invite the largest pre-poll group to try and form the government. He carried on as the de facto ruler before recommending the dissolution of the House in May this year, forcing President’s Rule and a fresh election on the state.

It has been a controversial tenure with his two sons, Lovely and Sweety, accused of pulling strings and interfering in the state administration.

The chief secretary of the state, G.S. Kang, protested against being bypassed by the governor and went on leave. In July, Buta Singh’s letter to the Union railway minister, seeking favours for two senior officers, was leaked even as Laloo Prasad Yadav was quoted as saying that he had appointed Buta Singh the governor.

In October, the Supreme Court not only declared the dissolution of the Assembly unconstitutional but last month, while hearing a public interest litigation against politicians over-staying in government bungalows in New Delhi, declared: “Buta Singh is governor of Bihar. How can he be occupying a house here? Throw him out.”

The Centre had earlier said it would wait for the detailed judgment of the court on the dissolution before deciding on the future of Buta Singh.

But the possibility of the judgment containing a strong indictment of the governor could force the government into having second thoughts.

The apex court declared the dissolution as unconstitutional last month but allowed the fresh election for the Assembly to proceed. The court is expected to release its majority judgment any time after the election draws to a close on November 19.

The governor, however, has always maintained that it was the presidential proclamation that was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. He had merely made a recommendation but the nails were put by the Union cabinet and the President, he had conveyed while digging in his heels.