Kamla Beniwal, who had a running battle with Narendra Modi when he was chief minister of Gujarat, was removed as Governor of Mizoram on Wednesday, just two months before his term ends.
“The President has ordered that Dr. (Smt.) Kamla caases as governor of Mizoram,” a statement Rashtrapati Bhavan said, exactly one month after she moved to Ahmedabad Aizwal.
Manipur Governor VK Duggal has been asked to perform the duties of the governor of Mizoram until regular arrangements are made, the statement said.
The dismissal order ends the tenure of the government of Congress leader 87 years old from Rajasthan who wrestled with the Modi government on the appointment of Lokayukta and some legislation during his tenure in Gujarat.
During his confrontation with Modi, Beniwal appointed retired Justice RA Mehta as Gujarat Lokayukta in the State against which the Supreme Court subsequently confirmed that last year went on appeal to the Supreme Court and. However, it was another story that no Justice Mehta took office and the Modi government appointed a new candidate. Beniwal also sat on legislation approved by the Assembly of a State of which provides 50 percent reservation for women in local bodies.
Beniwal was appointed first Governor of Tripura, in October 2009, the first woman to be appointed as governor in the northeast. However, a month later he was appointed governor of Gujarat.
Beniwal is the second governor to be sacked after the removal of Pondicherry Lt Governor Virendra Kataria. Shortly after the Modi government took office, some governors were forced to resign while a few resisted again and are still in office.
Interestingly, another Congress leader Margaret Alva, appointed by the UPA government was allowed to complete its term in Jaipur.