News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/29th July 2024
In a significant series of gubernatorial appointments and reshuffles, President Droupadi Murmu has appointed former Union minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar as the new governor of Jharkhand, succeeding CP Radhakrishnan, who will take over as the governor of Maharashtra. These appointments come as Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Haryana gear up for assembly elections later this year, according to a communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The reshuffle also sees Gulab Chand Kataria appointed as the governor of Punjab, replacing Banwarilal Purohit, who resigned earlier this year citing personal reasons. Additionally, Lakshman Prasad Acharya has been named the governor of Assam, with the added responsibility of governing Manipur. These appointments will become effective upon the appointees assuming their respective offices.
Acharya replaces Kataria as the governor of Assam and has also been given the additional charge of the Governor of Manipur. Assam’s chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, praised Acharya’s extensive experience and dedication, expressing confidence in his capabilities to serve as an outstanding governor for the state.
In Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led state government and the Raj Bhavan under Purohit had clashed over several issues, including the convening of an assembly session and the appointment of vice-chancellors for state-run universities. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed his willingness to work in coordination with the new governor, Kataria, and welcomed his appointment.
President Murmu accepted Purohit’s resignation in February, who had served as the governor of Punjab and the administrator of Chandigarh. Veteran BJP leader Om Prakash Mathur has been appointed as the governor of Sikkim, replacing Acharya. Radhakrishnan, who had been holding additional charge of Telangana, will succeed Ramesh Bais as the governor of Maharashtra.
Former Union labour and employment minister Santosh Gangwar expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his appointment as the new governor of Jharkhand. Gangwar, an eight-time Lok Sabha MP from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, acknowledged the party’s trust in him and expressed his commitment to his new role.
The communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan also announced that former Tripura deputy chief minister Jishnu Dev Varma will be the new governor of Telangana. Additionally, former IAS officer K Kailashnathan has been appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.
In another notable appointment, senior BJP leader from Maharashtra, Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde, has been named the governor of Rajasthan, succeeding Kalraj Mishra. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma congratulated Bagde, expressing optimism about the state’s progress under his guidance.
Moreover, former Assam lawmaker Ramen Deka and former Lok Sabha MP from Mysore in Karnataka, CH Vijayashankar, have been appointed as governors of Chhattisgarh and Meghalaya, respectively.
These appointments reflect a strategic move by the central government to place experienced leaders in key positions ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The reshuffle aims to ensure effective governance and strengthen the administration in these states and union territories. The new appointees bring a wealth of experience and dedication to their roles, promising a positive impact on the governance and development of their respective regions.
