Constitution of India provides for a Governor in each state. Governor is the ceremonial head while Chief Minister is the effective head of the state government. The post of Governor was conceived as an independent and impartial Constitutional office and therefore was kept outside the purview of elections. Governor acts as a vital link between the center and the state governments. But this post of Governor has been misused badly by those at the center. Recent controversies in Karnataka, Gujarat and Bihar have flared up the issue once more. Here is a bit of analysis on the present scenario.
As can be seen from the data, 19 out of 28 Governors had political affiliations with the Congress in the past. No Governor had any political affiliation with any party other than the Congress. This data highlights the extent to which President (President appoints the Governor) is biased in favour of the Congress. The probable reason is - she herself was affiliated to the Congress in the past.
Sarkaria commission report on center state relations (1988) noted - "Frequent removals and transfers of Governors before the end of their tenure have lowered the prestige of this office. Criticism has been levelled that the Union governments utilises the Governors for its own political ends. Many Governors looking forward to further office under the Union or active role in politics after their tenure come to regard themselves as agents of the Union". This observation holds true even today.
