Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit Resigns

Chandigarh: Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit resigned from office on Saturday, citing personal reasons.

He assumed office as Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator in August 2021.

In his resignation letter to President Draupadi Murmu, Purohit wrote, “Due to my personal reasons and certain other commitments, I tender my resignation from the post of the Governor of Punjab and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh. Please accept the same and oblige.”

Purohit was a three-time MP from Nagpur, Maharashtra twice from Congress and once from BJP. He has served as the Governor of Tamil Nadu from 2017-21 and Assam from 2016-17.

It may be mentioned that Purohit did not have a cordial relationship with Punjab’s Aam Aadi Pary (AAP) government and there was a regular tug-of-war between him and Chief Minister Bhagwat Mann. They were at loggerheads over a number of issues. The Governor alleged Mann did not reply to his letters. In August last year, the Governor had even sent a letter to the CM, warning that he could recommend President’s rule in Punjab and initiate criminal proceedings if the CM did not respond to his letters.

Purohit is also the Editor-in-Chief of ‘The Hitavada’, an English daily, started by freedom fighter Gopal Krishna Gokhale in 1911. The newspaper is circulated in central India.