NEW DELHI: In a late-night Saturday move seen as an attempt to accommodate senior BJP leaders, former Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and sitting Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma has been appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Sharma will succeed Admiral D K Joshi (Retd), who has been serving as the Union Territory's Lieutenant Governor. His appointment comes as his tenure in the Rajya Sabha is due to end in November this year.
The move will also create a vacancy in the Rajya Sabha, giving the BJP an opportunity to bring in a new face to the Upper House. Party sources said the vacancy could pave the way for another leader to enter Parliament, although the BJP is yet to indicate who could be considered for the seat.
The appointment is also being viewed as a first move in a possible wider reshuffle of governors and lieutenant governors in the coming days.
Sources said new governors for more than half a dozen states are expected to be appointed in the coming days, with the exercise likely to include states headed for Assembly elections.
Uttar Pradesh, which is scheduled to go to the polls, is among the states where a change is anticipated. The incumbent governor has become the longest-serving governor in the state, adding to speculation that a change could be part of the impending reshuffle.
According to sources, several governors and lieutenant governors could be moved or replaced as part of the exercise. The expected changes are likely to have political significance, particularly in states where elections are approaching, and may also allow the BJP-led government to accommodate experienced party leaders in constitutional positions.