Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, Najeeb Jung, on Friday revealed that he had offered to resign twice in the past but was persuaded to carry on by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Jung told NDTV that he first offered to resign when the Modi government came to power in May 2014. That was several months before Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party had won the Delhi election.
He said, “I had offered to resign as I had been appointed by the previous UPA government, but the PM asked me to carry on. After three years, I requested the PM to relieve me but he asked me to carry on.
“After three and a half years, I requested the PM again on Tuesday that I would like to resign on personal grounds but he said carry on.”
Jung said that this he was determined to quit because he wanted to look after his 95-year-old mother and spend time with his family and grand children.
He said, “I have a mother who is 95 and need to give her time and I need to give time to kids, grand kids. I can’t take leave in this job.”
Jung, whose last three years were spent in constant feud with Kejriwal, said that he will soon write a book on his time as the LG.
Jung had announced his shock resignation on Thursday afternoon saying that he wanted to return to his first love, which is, academics.
He had thanked Modi for ‘all the help and cooperation’ he received during his time as the Lt Governor.
He had also thanked Kejriwal, for his association ‘in the last two years.’
Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken had demanded explanation from the Centre on the reason behind Jung’s ‘unceremonious exit.’
Kejriwal had met the outgoing LG over breakfast on Friday morning before the latter went to the PMO.