Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked Assam Governor Syed Sibtey Razi, who was earlier Jharkhand Governor, to demit office and save the UPA government the embarrassment after CBI raids are said to have affirmed reports of alleged corruption in the Jharkhand Raj Bhavan under Razi’s watch.

“At a meeting on August 11, the PM asked Razi to relinquish office on health grounds but Razi insisted on time until October when his five-year term comes to an end. He also told the PM that he needed time to explain his position to party president Sonia Gandhi,” a senior official in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

However, the PM insisted — at the five-minute meeting — that the former Jharkhand Governor put in his papers and then approach the party high command for rehabilitation, the official added. Later that night, Razi met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to reiterate his stand.

They said Razi — who was sworn in as Assam Governor on July 27 — had also sought time from Home Minister P Chidambaram on August 7 to give his side of the story even though the request is ostensibly to discuss corruption in North East Council, the nodal agency for economic and social development in the North-eastern states. He has been given time tomorrow evening, sources added.

However, Razi’s request for a meeting with Sonia Gandhi has not come through, they said.

The UPA government shunted Razi from Jharkhand to Assam on July 18 after then IB’s Ranchi station-in-charge Janardan Singh confirmed an ex-MLA’s complaint to the PMO of alleged corruption involving the Governor and his staff.

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