President Pranab Mukherjee appoints new State Governors
What's the story
Four new State Governors have been appointed by President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday. Governors for Assam, Manipur, Punjab, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been appointed, according to government officials. Former Union Minister Najma Heptulla has been appointed the first female Governor of Manipur. Surprisingly, former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel's name has been missing from the Rashtrapati Bhavan's new Governors' list.
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Appointments
According to the official statement released by the Union Government, "The appointments (of new Governors) will take effect from the dates, the incumbents assume charge of their respective offices."
Manipur
Heptulla appointed the 18th Governor of Manipur
Najma Heptulla resigned as the Union Minister for Minority Affairs on 12th Jul'16 shortly after PM Narendra Modi announced a cabinet reshuffle and expansion. Heptulla will now replace Governor of Meghalaya V Shanmuganathan who has been holding additional charge of Manipur since Sep'15. Former Bharatiya Janata Party Vice-President and a five-time Rajya Sabha member, Heptulla will become the 18th Governor of Manipur.
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Poll-bound states
Out of the four new Governors, two of them have been appointed for poll-bound states of Punjab and Manipur. Punjab legislative elections are expected to be held early in 2017 while those of Manipur in Feb'17.
Punjab
Badnore to succeed Solanki as Punjab Governor
VP Singh Badnore has been appointed as the Governor of Punjab relieving Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki of the additional charge as Punjab Governor. Badnore is from Rajasthan; he was a Member of the Parliament as well as the Legislative Assembly too. He has been associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party since its inception - the Bharatiya Jan Sangh days.
Assam
Banwarilal Purohit appointed Assam Governor
In an interesting move, Banwarilal Purohit has been appointed Assam's Governor. Purohit is a three-time Member of Parliament; twice from the Congress Party and the third time from the BJP. Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya is relieved now of additional charge as the Assam Governor. Purohit had left Congress during the LK Advani-led Ram Rath Yatra; he runs a daily newspaper called Hitavada.
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Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Delhi BJP's leader Jagdish Mukhi has been appointed the Lt. Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He had also been appointed the Delhi Government's Finance Minister when the BJP was in power over 20 years ago.