Bangalore: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday took exception to the Centre’s move to appoint Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala the new Governor of the State without consulting him.

“The Centre has not consulted me in this regard (appointing the new governor).

The chief minister should be consulted before appointing the governor for the sake of courtesy. Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) does not know this. It has hurt me,” he stated when reporters sought his comments on the appointment of new governor.

Though it was not written in any rules that the chief minister should be consulted, the Centre should have discussed about it with him for the sake of courtesy, he added.
He, however, added that the governor “is the first citizen of the State” and that he would welcome Vala.

The State BJP reacted sharply to the chief minister’s statement and accused him of politicising the appointment of the governor. Party leader K S Eshwarappa said it is the prerogative of the Centre to appoint governors. The Congress, too, has appointed governors in the past in the same manner. For instance, the previous government appointed H R Bhardwaj the governor without consulting the then BJP government, he said.

Vala has immense experience in administration. Siddaramaiah should extend all cooperation to the new governor and utilise his experience for the development of the State, the BJP leader added.