A day after his resignation, outgoing lieutenant governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung on Friday met Narendra Modi at the Prime Minister’s Office. Jung is believed to have apprised the prime minister of the reasons for his decision to step down from the post, in the 90-minute-long meeting, News18 reported.
Jung also met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at his residence Raj Niwas on Friday morning for breakfast. Kejriwal reportedly said Jung had decided to resign for personal reasons.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Jung’s office said he will return to academics. The 65-year-old had 18 months left in his tenure. In the statement announcing his resignation, he thanked the prime minister for his “help and cooperation” and Kejriwal for his association in the last two years.
Moreover, a Home Ministry had clarified on Thursday that there had been no pressure on Jung to resign, The Hindu reported. The official added that it “might be fatigue”. Jung himself confirmed to NDTV that “there was no politics” behind his resignation. He told the TV channel that he had offered to resign earlier, but Modi had urged him to continue, adding that he needed to give his family time, but the job did not permit him to take holidays.
Former Union home secretary Anil Baijal, former IAS officer Gopal Krishna Pillai, ex-Delhi police commissioner BS Bassi and current lieutenant governor of Pondicherry Kiran Bedi are the front-runners for the post, reported DNA.
Jung’s resignation comes at a time when the Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi had locked horns with the lieutenant governor over administrative matters.
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