Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who visited Gujarat in the wake of the anti-Christian attacks recently, has killed many birds with one stone with his decision to transfer Anshuman Singh to Rajasthan.

To begin with, Justice Tibrewal, the acting Governor of Rajasthan, who was also the acting Chief Justice of the High Court there, was due to retire today and there was an immediate need to find his successor.

Secondly, this was a good opportunity to get Singh off the back of Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel. Singh was a critic of the way churches and Christians have been attacked in Gujarat. His relations with the Chief Minister have reportedly been strained forsome time now and the incidents in South Gujarat only widened the chasm.

While the Prime Minister criticised the burning of prayer halls in Dangs, he gave a clean chit to the Patel Government, deflecting the issue by calling for a national debate on conversions.

Thirdly, Vajpayee obliged former Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Shekhawat, who was sounded out by the PM for the post of the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, turned it down. It appears that the old warhorse, despite ill-health, plans to concentrate on his home turf and turn the heat on Gehlot.

Shekhawat had a say in the appointment of Anshuman Singh as Governor of Gujarat. Singh, known for not cowing down, was at one time a judge of the Rajasthan High Court and considered close to Shekhawat (both are Rajputs). He was known for several controversial judgements, including one against his brother judges.

The last Governor of Rajasthan, Darbara Singh, who was appointed to the post courtesy the Akali Dal, died in May1998. The Akali leaders own vast tracts of lands in and around Ganganagar and have displayed more than a cursory interest in Rajasthan.

Though there was a proposal to send Akali leader S Dhindsa as Governor of Rajasthan, the appointment could not be clinched because of differences in the Akali Dal, whose leaders could not agree on a candidate.

Shekhawat had at one time favoured the appointment of D P Chattopadhyaya, who was made Governor of Rajasthan by the then prime minister V P Singh. But Home Minister L K Advani reportedly did not encourage the idea. Chattopadhyaya is perceived as being closer to the Congress than the Bharatiya Janata Party.