Kamla Beniwal, who had a running battle with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was the Gujarat CM, was sacked as Governor of Mizoram on Wednesday just two months before her tenure comes to an end.
She took over as Governor of Mizoram on July 9, and within a month she has been removed.
"The President has directed that Dr. (Smt.) Kamla shall cease to hold the office of the Governor of Mizoram," a Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué said.
"Governor of Manipur V.K. Duggal has been asked to discharge the functions of the Governor of Mizoram until regular arrangements are made," the communique added.
Beniwal had a strained relationship with Modi when he was the chief minister of Gujarat over the appointment of Lokayukta and some legislations.
There were at least nine bills that she either sent back with remarks or sat on for long periods, in some cases even two-three years.
The sacking comes just days after a Mail Today exposé on her misuse of the state aircraft for frequent private visits to her hometown Jaipur.
In the last three years Beniwal flew out of Gujarat 63 times, mostly to Jaipur her home town. She travelled to Jaipur 53 times and the remaining 10 times she flew to Delhi.
Interestingly most of these have been termed as "official trips" even as the Governor clocked 277 flying hours between 2011 and 2014.
During her confrontation with Modi, Beniwal appointed retired Justice R.A. Mehta as Lokayukta. However, Justice Mehta did not take up the post and Modi's government named a new nominee.
Due to her relationship with Modi, Beniwal was expected to be pushed out in the first batch of Governors, but that did not happen and she was sent to Mizoram.
After shunting her to Mizoram the Centre found a BJP loyalist as her replacement in Gujarat.
While O.P. Kohli was appointed as the new Governor, there were reports that Beniwal was resisting going to Mizoram - but left with no choice, she took charge in the state.
Beniwal was first appointed as Governor of Tripura in October, 2009 the first woman to be appointed as Governor in Northeast. However, a month later she was appointed as Gujarat Governor.
Beniwal is the second Governor to be sacked after the removal of Puducherry Lt Governor Virendra Kataria.
Soon after the Modi Government assumed office, some Governors were forced to resign while a few resisted and are still in office
Dailymail
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