Najeeb Jung resigns: PM Modi, Rajnath Singh meet to finalise new LG for Delhi; KJ Alphons, Anil Baijal among frontrunners

New Delhi, Dec 23: Delhi’s incumbent Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung announced his shocking resignation from his post on Thursday. Jung cited personal reasons for demitting the office which he held for three and a half years. His tenure was due to end in 2019. Jung’s resignation has been accepted by Centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday morning to finalise the name of new LG. Former Home Secretary Anil Baijal, along with former Commissioner of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) KJ Alphons are considered among the frontrunners.

Najeeb Jung submitted his resignation on Thursday. While no detailed reason was provided by him to quit the post, Jung mentioned his intention of returning back to the academia. He is likely to move out of Delhi and shift to his residence in Goa.

Anil Baijal was reported to be the leading name who would be appointed as the LG. Baijal is reputed bureaucrat, who had earlier served as the Home Secretary under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. The 1969 cadre IAS officer retired in 2006, when he was the Chief Secretary in the Urban Development Ministry.

The second most prominent name doing the rounds is KJ Alphons, a Kerala cadre officer who is known for the demolition of illegal structures in Delhi during his stint as the chief of DDA. The 1979 cadre IAS officer, upon retirement in 2006, switched to politics. He got elected in the Kerala assembly in 2006 from Kanjirappally. Alphons joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2011 and is currently a member of party’s national executive.

Among other names which are rumoured for the post of LG include BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, former Delhi Police commissioner BS Bassi and senior politician Ashok Pradhan.