NEW DELHI: The President, Pranab Mukherjee, has directed that Virendra Kataria, will cease to hold the office of the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and has appointed Lt. General (Retd.) Ajay Kumar Singh, Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands to discharge the functions of the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. In a late night announcement, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said, “The President has directed that Virendra Kataria shall cease to hold the office of the L-G of Puducherry.”
Lt General (Retd) Ajay Kumar Singh, L-G of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, will discharge the functions of L-G of Puducherry, in addition to his own duties, until regular arrangements for this post are made. Kataria, former Punjab Congress president and ex-Rajya Sabha member, was appointed as L-G in July last year. Friday’s decision comes in the midst of government having initiated the process to finalise the list of BJP veterans to be appointed as Governors to fill up vacancies in various Raj Bhawans. Political observers interpreted the decision as an indirect signal to UPA-nominated Governors to quit or face removal.