The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, is not in agreement with the appointment of Mr. Barnala as the new governor. Excerpts of the conversation between Patil and Jayalalithaa:

Patil: I am sorry to inform you of the change of the governor of Tamil Nadu. ... I have spoken to Mr Barnala and he has agreed.

Jaya: Are you consulting me or are you informing me?

Patil: I am informing you.


Jaya: Whether it is a decision already taken? I would like to have two days to think over the matter and get back to you.

(But Patil said that the time could not be granted because the file had already gone from him, the application said.)

Jaya: Has the order been issued?

(According to the application, "Patil said it can be issued at any time since the decision has already been taken.")

Jaya: How could you take the decision without consulting the CM? Should I not have been consulted before the decision was taken?

Patil: The Sarkaria Commission has made this recommendation, but this is the way we usually do these things. I have spoken to Mr Barnala and he has agreed. He is a very good choice for governor.

Jaya: I am sorry I don't agree with your opinion. The present governor is apolitical. He is a former director general of police with no political affiliation, wheras Mr Barnala is the specific nominee of Mr Karunanidhi.

Jaya again: What crime has the present governor committed? He is totally fair and impartial. What is the reason for wanting to remove him?

Patil: I don't want to discuss reason.

Jaya: How can you remove the governor without any reason?

(According to the application, Patil's reply was that the governor did not take the salute on August 15, 2004, Independence Day. To this, Jayalalithaa replied: In TN, on Independence Day, always it is the CM who takes the salute and hoists the flag. The governor never does it. The governor hoists the flag only on Republic Day. According to the application, Patil said the governor did not host the tea party on Independence Day which he was supposed to do.

(Jayalalithaa said that the governor always hosted the tea party and only this time he was away from the country, and so he could not host it. She specifically asked Patil: "Are you saying that you are removing the governor only because he did not host the Independence Day tea party?")

Patil: Yes, it is a serious mistake but I don't want to discuss the reasons any further.

Jaya: Can you give me some time, at least two days, to consider the matter and get back to you?

Patil: I am sorry. It is a decision already taken.

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