NEW DELHI, February 25: The President has been drawn into a controversy for his letter to Prime Minister I K Gujral expressing displeasure over the conduct of Uttar Pradesh Governor Romesh Bhandari with some political leaders alleging that K R Narayanan had ``transgressed'' his powers. Leading the charge was CPM general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet.In a statement on the ``leakage'' of Narayanan's letter , he quoted Article 74 to point out that the President should act on the advise of PM. Chandra Shekhar, who wrote a letter to Narayanan but refused to divulge its details, appealed to the President to keep himself away from the campaign aimed at lowering the dignity of the office of a Governor. Defending Bhandari, he said ``I don't see any reason why any action should be taken against the Governor.''
It's denial time for President, Bhandari & PM
* An official spokesman tonight described reports suggesting that Prime Minister I K Gujral ``has conveyed a message to the Governor of UttarPradesh, are totally incorrect''. The spokesman said ``no such communication has been conveyed to the Governor from the Prime Minister's side.
* Romesh Bhandari also said he has not received any letter or communication from Prime Minister asking him to resign on his own. Contacted by PTI here, Bhandari parried a question whether there was any possibility of his resigning on his own in view of President K R Narayanan's letter to Gujral in the aftermath of the recent events in Uttar Pradesh.
* Rashtrapati Bhavan too emphatically denied that it had any part in the leakage of the contents of a letter written by President K R Narayanan to Gujral yesterday.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
