The dignity of the office of Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi would have been enhanced had Mr Najeeb Jung handled his resignation in a manner that did not provide fertile scope for political speculation. 

A desire to return to academia is entirely understandable, and would have been accorded due respect had the high official not “quit overnight” and sent tongues wagging. 

For once, the leadership of the Aam Aadmi Party with whom Mr Jung has had an extended running battle, conducted itself with uncharacteristic grace after the resignation was announced; the union home ministry claimed it was surprised, and the BJP had little option but to toe that line. 

Only the Congress openly injected customary discord into the affair ~ which Mr Jung will do well to reject/clarify if his return to academia is to run smooth. 

The stance he takes will be telling, else dubious comments like those from the head of the Delhi Commission for Women will gain ground ~ was she articulating the AAP line? Thus beaching the line of “political correctness” that Kejriwal and Sisodia had chosen to take. Or is it that a judicial verdict that seemingly favoured the DCW over Raj Niwas proved embarrassing for Mr Jung? 

By not stating the reasons for his stepping aside more authoritatively, Mr Jung has left open the door for such
“debate”. The action now shifts to who will occupy Raj Niwas. 

Already there is “buzz” that the BJP government favours someone more “hardline” than Mr Jung who will further exploit the curious administrative arrangement in Delhi to North Block’s favour.

Arvind Kejriwal hardly imagined the extent to which his hands would be tied, and he has failed to have “running repairs” carried out. Some might contend that while there is validity to the Centre not risking “national affairs” to be jeopardised by an unfriendly or maverick state government, the counter view is that the people of Delhi have been denied a democratic due. 

They did give the AAP a 67-3 verdict, and the Centre has hardly honoured that verdict because it believes that its Lok Sabha success equates with unfettered clout: both Modi and Kejriwal share that skewed notion. Yet again clarity
on a political and administrative controversy will have to come from the judiciary: the apex court will soon be required to take a view on the High Court declaring the home ministry the real “boss” of Delhi. 

What is clear is that the present administrative arrangement is unsatisfactory ~ former chief minister Sheila Dikshit had also pointed to shortcomings ~ so to think recent turbulence resulted from a Kejriwal-Jung stand-off would be incorrect.

The question remains whether an authoritarian central government will accord Delhi and its elected government due “space”.