New Delhi: Rajasthan Governor Madan Lal Khurana today (Oct 25, 2004) resigned to join active politics, saying he considered people of Delhi "my gods and goddesses."

Emerging out of Rashtrapati Bhavan after submitting his resignation to President A P J Abdul Kalam, he declined to answer political questions from reporters saying he would do so only after his resignation was formally accepted.

Earlier at a press conference at Jodhpur House in New Delhi Khurana said he had taken the decision in view of the "problems" being faced by Delhiites, particularly due to the move to relocate industries in the capital.

Amid bursting of crackers and chanting of slogans by hundreds of his followers, the former Delhi BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) president indicated that he was forced to leave the capital and take up the assignment in Rajasthan after the party failed to wrest power from Congress.

"It was my biggest mistake to accept the assignment," said Khurana, who was appointed as Governor by the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government in January.

Even as he insisted that he did not want to make any "political comment for now", he said when the BJP high command asked him to go to Rajasthan after Delhi Assembly elections in last December "I asked them to keep me here till the Lok Sabha elections. But I was ordered (to go)."

He maintained that BJP's performance in general elections in Delhi and Haryana would have been better if he had been allowed to remain in the capital.

"We would have bagged at least two or three of the seven seats against one we got in Delhi. In (neighbouring) Haryana also, we would have got a minimum of two to three of the nine seats and not only one," he claimed.

Khurana said that the President has asked him to continue till alternative arrangements are made. He said he was grateful to the President for the honour bestowed on him as Governor of Rajasthan.

When referred to BJP's poor performance in Assembly polls under him, he said the party had improved from 14 seats last time to 20 seats.

Khurana said he had spent "sleepless nights" during the entire tenure in Rajasthan and after noticing problems appearing for Delhiites recently, his "restiveness" increased.

"I cannot enjoy the comforts of Raj Bhawan while people in Delhi are facing problems. It is not in my blood," he said, adding he had decided to quit the post to be with Delhiites.

He said he was particularly hurt by the Delhi Government's move to relocate industries, threatening closure of 1.25 lakh units and rendering about 15 lakh workers jobless.

"I could not raise my voice for them while holding the post of Governor," Khurana said although he pointed out that he had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to express concern over Sheila Dikshit Government's move on relocation.

Noting that he treated Delhi as a "temple" and he was its "priest", he, however, said that he wanted to be involved in national politics.