AHMEDABAD, India, 20 July — The chief minister of India’s Gujarat state, accused of failing to quell bloody riots between Hindus and Muslims, quit yesterday and sought early elections.
"I have accepted his (Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s) resignation and until the new government is formed, they will work as a caretaker government," state Governor Sundar Singh Bhandari told reporters. The governor dissolved the legislative assembly paving the way for snap polls in the state that is yet to recover from prolonged sectarian violence.
Gujarat witnessed riots for three months following the Godhra train burning in which 58 Hindu passengers were killed on Feb. 27. The Hindu backlash claimed over 1,000 lives, mostly Muslims.
Human rights groups put the toll at more than 2,500 and say Modi failed to act quickly enough to stem the killings. He denies any wrongdoing.
Modi still needs the Election Commission’s approval to hold an election for a new state assembly, which was not due to be dissolved until early 2003.
"There was a lot of speculation in the air... an atmosphere of uncertainty was being created. So I decided to resign and ask for fresh elections so that people get a stable government," Modi told reporters after meeting Bhandari.
"The governor has asked me to continue as caretaker chief minister until the new government is installed."
The term of the present assembly was to end in February 2003, but Modi had been toying with the idea of calling for snap polls. Modi said only the Election Commission (EC) would decide on the election schedule. "It is the EC’s discretion. The commission has established the tradition of holding quick elections and installing a popular government at the earliest. I welcome the tradition and expect the EC to hold early elections." Modi also released a "letter to the people of Gujarat" in which he expressed his anguish at the way his and his party’s "image was tarnished" during the sectarian strife.
