Maharashtra was among 12 states to get a new Governor as President Droupadi Murmu made crucial Constitutional appointments this morning. The President also appointed a new Lieutenant Governor for the Union Territory of Ladakh.
The most politically significant of these appointments was Ramesh Bais, former Jharkhand governor, replacing Bhagat Singh Koshyari as Maharashtra Governor. Mr Koshyari had last month told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he wished to step down from the top post.
"Governor Koshyari has expressed his desire to spend the rest of his life in reading, writing and other leisurely activities," read a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan.
Mr Koshyari, an RSS veteran who has served as a Chief Minister and an MP in both Houses of Parliament, was appointed Governor in 2019. During his tenure, he frequently hit headlines over his multiple run-ins with the Uddhav Thackeray government and his controversial statements.
In fact, soon after his appointment, he sparked a row by presiding over an early morning oath ceremony for Devendra Fadnavis even before Mr Thackeray and the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP could stake claim to form government.
Thereafter, the Uddhav Thackeray-led government and the Raj Bhavan clashed on several issues, including the reopening of temples after the Covid pandemic, refusal of a state plane for Mr Koshyari's visit to Dehradun and a special Assembly session following the rape and murder of a woman in Mumbai's Sakinaka.
Mr Koshyari sparked a row in November last year when he said Chhattrapati Shivaji was "an icon of the old days". Top BJP leaders had to jump into the firefight as the political opposition accused the Governor of insulting the Maratha leader.
AdvertisementPrior to that, he courted controversy when he said Maharashtra will have no money left if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis leave.
Besides Maharashtra, the President has appointed Governors to 11 states and a Lieutenant Governor to Ladakh.
AdvertisementIn Ladakh, a Union Territory carved out of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) will take over the top post after Rashtrapati Bhavan accepted the resignation of incumbent Radha Krishna Mathur. Mr Mishra earlier served as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, also a key strategic region as Ladakh.
The appointment comes amid growing demand for statehood and a special status for Ladakh. Leaders of the region have raised environmental concerns over the massive infrastructure push and demanded autonomy that they say would help them bring development in a manner they want.
AdvertisementLt. General Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik (Retired) will take over as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Lakshman Prasad Acharya as Governor of Sikkim, C P Radhakrishnan as Governor of Jharkhand and Shiv Pratap Shukla as Governor of Himachal Pradesh.
Also, Gulab Chand Kataria has been appointed Governor of Assam, former Supreme Court judge Justice S Abdul Nazeer as Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Biswa Bhusan Harichandan as Governor of Chhattisgarh and Anusuiya Uikye as Governor of Manipur. Mr Harichandan and Ms Uikye were earlier serving on the top posts in Andhra and Chhattisgarh, respectively.
Manipur Governor La Ganesan is now Governor of Nagaland, Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan now takes over the top post in Meghalaya and Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, now Himachal Pradesh Governor, has been appointed Bihar Governor.
