LUCKNOW: Veteran BJP leader and former Union Minister Ram Naik Tuesday took over as the new Governor of Uttar Pradesh.
Naik, the 27th Governor of the State, was sworn in at the Raj Bhavan by Allahabad High Court Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud. The 80-year-old Naik arrived earlier in the day in the State capital.
Soon after his swearing in, Naik said he will try his best to remain true to the constitutional post he now holds and will use his office to be a bridge between the Union and State governments.
Naik - who has his roots in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) - succeeds B.L. Joshi, who quit last month. The Raj Bhavan was briefly occupied by Aziz Qureshi, Governor of neighbouring Uttarakhand, who held additional charge of Uttar Pradesh. He left for the hill state earlier in the day.
Also present during the swearing-in ceremony were Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, some of his cabinet colleagues and state government officials.
The last time an RSS member was Uttar Pradesh governor was in 2000-2004, when Vishnukant Shastri was in charge.