Another round of governor reshuffle likely
NEW DELHI: The late Saturday night gubernatorial rejig for eight states and a UT has surprised many in the NDA circles. While states like Maharashtra and Assam got their governors changed, Uttar Pradesh remained untouched despite the likely end of the incumbent governor’s term this month.
As per official communiqué, these appointments will take effect from the date the appointees will assume charge.
Sources, however, said another round of gubernatorial reshuffle is likely for Uttar Pradesh, J&K and some southern states. They also indicated that almost all governor appointees are likely to assume their charge in 3-4 days in poll-bound states such as Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
Lakshman Prasad Acharya has been appointed as the governor of Assam, a BJP-ruled state, and assigned with the additional charge of Manipur.
The most significant change has been in Punjab, where incumbent governor Banwari Lal Purohit resigned recently. He was replaced with Gulab Chand Kataria, a senior BJP veteran. Kataria will also be the administrator of Chandigarh.
Om Prakash Mathur whose name recently figured as one of the probable candidates for the LS Speaker, is appointed the new governor of Sikkim while incumbent Jharkhand governor CP Radhakrishnan is shifted to poll-bound Maharashtra. He had been holding additional charge of Telangana also.
Former Union minister labour and employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar has been appointed in Jharkhand, and former deputy CM of Tripura Jishnu Dev Varma in Telangana. Puducchery-UT has got a former IAS officer K Kailashnathan as new Lt governor.
Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde has replaced incumbent governor of Rajasthan Kalraj Mishra while former LS MP from Assam Ramen Deka has been made Chhattisgarh governor.
Another former MP from Karnataka CH Vijayashankar has been appointed as new governor of Meghalaya.
Will work together with Kataria, says Mann
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said he would welcome Gulab Chand Kataria, the new governor of the state, and work in coordination with him. Mann said he respected outgoing governor Banwarilal Purohit but he tried to create an “atmosphere of conflict.” On the appointment of the new governor, Mann said that he spoke to Kataria, who told him that he would take oath on July 31.
New C’garh guv among founders of Assam BJP
Ramen Deka, the governor-designate of Chhattisgarh, is among a few BJP leaders who built the party brick-by-brick in Assam. The 70-year-old is a founder member of the BJP and a two-time former LS MP. He served the party in various capacities including Assam general secretary, vice president, spokesperson and national secretary. He was a member of various central committees.