New Delhi, April 4: President Ram Nath Kovind has sent his report on a recent statement made by Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh wishing for a comeback of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the country's Prime Minister. President Kovind has forwarded the file to the Ministry of Home Affairs for "necessary actions". The development came after the Election Commission of India's concluded that Kalyan Singh's remarks violated the Model Code of Conduct.

Although the Model Code of Conduct is not applicable to constitutional authorities like the governor, President Kovind, in his report, has made it clear that governors should keep away from active politics, NDTV report. In its report to the President, the ECI said that Singh has lowered the dignity of his office by describing himself as a "karyakarta of the BJP" and recommended action against him.

The poll panel concluded its report after the Aligarh District Magistrate (DM) submitted details and clips of Singh's statement to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). Singh, who previously had served as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, on March 23 had said as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker he wanted Narendra Modi's return as prime minister.

“As a worker of BJP, I genuinely want BJP to win. We want that once again Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister of India. It is important for nation and society that Narendra Modi should become Prime Minister again," Singh, who was appointed as the Governor of Rajasthan in 2014, had said. He reportedly made these remarks to placate some agitated BJP members who had gathered outside his house over ticket distribution.

A Governor is considered a neutral post and the person in office doesn’t side with any particular political party. The last time a state Governor was found violating the Model Code of Conduct was in the 1990s when then Himachal Pradesh Governor Gulsher Ahmed was slammed by the ECI for campaigning for his son Sayeed Ahmed in Madhya Pradesh. After the poll panel had expressed displeasure, Ahmed had stepped down.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 04, 2019 04:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).