Monday September 26, 2011 08:23:53 PM, IANS

Gandhinagar: The political spat between Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Governor Kamala Beniwal has intensified with the latter seeking details from the state government on expenditure incurred on his three-day fast.

The letter dated Sep 22, copies of which were circulated to the media Monday, is addressed to the additional chief secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), and sent by Beniwal's principal secretary Arvind Joshi.

It says that members of the Maha Gujarat Janta Party (MJP) had met the governor Sep 19 and submitted a memorandum pointing out "wasteful expenditure" incurred at state cost on the fast.

MJP president Gordhan Jhadapia, Modi's minister of state for home during the 2002 riots, who subsequently rebelled and left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and other office bearers are on a protest fast against Modi here.

Jhadapia said that he had met the governor and urged her to seek an explanation from the chief minister on his "unauthorised and illegal splurging of public money".

"The chief minister has no business of spending money which is not authorised by the assembly," he added.

Modi ended his three-day sadbhavna (goodwill) fast Sep 19.

The chief minister had on Sunday organised a rally in Ahmedabad demanding the recall of the governor.

Modi has been miffed with the governor for long, but matters came to a head when she appointed retired high court judge Justice R.A. Mehta as the Lokayukta after the Gujarat High Court chief justice recommended his name.

Beniwal overlooked Modi's objections and filled up the post which had been lying vacant for the last seven years. The state government has challenged the appointment in the high court.
 

Home | Top of the Page

Top Stories

We see our future in AMU Malegaon: Write hundreds of students to VC

Even as the AMU officials are busy giving the final shape to the team of experts which will visit Malegaon to inspect the land identified for   »

AMU Malegaon: Nashik MP extends support; VC ready to send team

Upbeat netizens give a strong thumbs up to AMU Malegaon

  Most Read

Jamia Millia Islamia vice chancellor Najeeb Jung has been nominated to the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), an official statement said Monday.  »

BJP, JMM in face-off over grant to Jharkhand madrasas

A face-off between two ministers here over grant to madrasas in Jharkhand has strained the relations between two key ruling alliance partners in the state. Haji Hussain Ansari, cooperative and social affairs minister and a senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader, has demanded the   »

  News Pick

Third Front again? Many feel it's a non-starter

Some of the political parties that once made up the Third Front are ready to shake hands again. But pundits feel the idea is a non-starter -- at least now. The Samajwadi Party and the Communists are the most enthusiastic  »

No more pesky calls, SMSs from Tuesday

Millions of mobile subscribers across the country are likely to get relief from pesky commercial calls and messages with the regulations preventing such communications coming into effect Tuesday. To avail the service, the  »

Chidambaram man of integrity, targeted for acting against ‘Sanghi' terror: Digvijay

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has swung to the defence of Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and asserted that the BJP is targeting him on the issue of 2G spectrum licences   »

Picture of the Day

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in United Nations listening to the speech of US President Barack Obama September 21, 2001.

(Photo: Reuters)