MP advocate-general quits

Jabalpur, Jan 1 (UNI) Senior advocate and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravinandan Singh today claimed that his resignation from the advocate-general's post was not due to any temptation for a better post.

''This is the last year of BJP tenure and I principally wanted to give another person an opportunity to serve as advocate-general. The resignation was faxed to the state Law Department at about 2030 hrs yesterday. Prior to that I wanted to have a discussion with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan but learnt over cellphone that he was in Shirdi with family,'' the city-resident told journalists here this afternoon.

Mr Singh said that the discussion eventually took place today and Mr Chouhan was informed of the resignation's reason.

''After the BJP government was formed in Madhya Pradesh, the then chief minister Uma Bharti urged me to become advocate-general and said that the regime should not suffer reverses in court during my tenure. During the past roughly four years, I made every effort to ensure that no such reverses took place. I received full cooperation from Ms Bharti and her successors Mr Babulal Gaur and Mr Chouhan,'' he added.

Pointing out that there was no substance in the allegation that he quit as he could not represent the government properly, Mr Singh added that he would continue working in the judicial arena.

On the question of his successor, he said, ''the chief minister alone has the right to take that decision. The dumpers' purchase case is nothing but a false allegation against Mr Chouhan.'' When asked whether he put in his papers on Ms Bharti's bidding, Mr Singh said that -- for him -- Ms Bharti was first like a member of his family and then a political leader. Ms Bharti's attendance in the ten-day Bhagwat Katha, organised here by Mr Singh, was due to family-like relations and the sadhvi even offered a discourse.

UNI RG-AC 1920