Facing Incessant Political Attacks, Maharashtra Governor Wants To Quit, Say Sources

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was in the eye of the storm for his recent remark in which he referred to Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as an icon of the "olden days".

New Delhi: Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has expressed his desire to be relieved from his post as the state Governor, sources said.

Sources close to him said Governor Koshyari spoke to his close associates regarding this. The speculation comes as the governor has been constantly under attack from the opposition for his remarks.

Koshyari was in the eye of the storm for his recent remark in which he referred to Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as an icon of the "olden days".

The governor has drawn flak from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Congress, and the Shiv Sena (UBT), who have staged protests across the state demanding his ouster.

Following this, the Congress also slammed the Maharashtra Governor for not removing his footwear while paying floral tributes to the martyrs of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Koshyari and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde paid floral tributes at the martyrs' memorial on the premises of the Police Commissioner's Office in south Mumbai on November 26.

Taking to Twitter, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) general secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant said removing one's footwear while paying tribute is Indian culture and definitely the culture of Maharashtra.

''The governor has been repeatedly disrespecting Maharashtra, its culture and icons. CM Eknath Shinde should have reminded him to remove his footwear and show respect to the martyrs of the terror attacks," Sawant had tweeted.

What Did Koshyari Say About Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji?

Addressing an event at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in Aurangabad earlier this month, Koshyari said, "Earlier, when you would be asked who is your icon — Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi used to be the answers. In Maharashtra, you need not look elsewhere (as) there are so many icons here. While Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is of olden time, there are Ambedkar and Nitin Gadkari", news agency PTI reported.

Besides the opposition parties, BJP MP Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale also remarked that Koshyari "is creating disharmony among people at large. This is not going to stop unless a solution is provided", as quoted by news agency ANI.

Sources have said that the governor wants to leave his post and go back to his home state Uttarakhand.

(With Agency Inputs)