New Governors in five states; TN BJP-chief named Telangana Governor
In a major reshuffle, the Center on Sunday announced the appointment of new Governors for five states, including Telangana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh. BJP's Tamil Nadu unit president, Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, has been appointed the Governor of Telangana. Bandaru, Dattatreya, Arif Mohammad Khan, Kalraj Mishra, and Bhagat Singh Koshyari are also on the list, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique. Here's more.
President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed the new Governors based on the recommendations of the Narendra Modi government at the Center. Notably, of the five states where new Governors have been appointed, Maharashtra is the only state going for Assembly Elections later in 2019.
A statement issued by President Kovind's office said that Tamilisai will succeed ESL Narasimhan as the Governor of Telangana. Narasimhan, who held the dual charge as the Governor of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, recently demitted office. This will be for the first time that Telangana - the country's newest state - will have a separate Governor.
"My most sincere thanks to Hon'ble @PMOIndia Shri @narendramodi ji for giving me an opportunity to serve as Governor of Telangana...," Soundararajan said in a tweet. "...My sincere thanks to @AmitShah and for all those who have been supportive to me in my political career. I feel this as an opportunity to serve the Nation," she wrote on Twitter.
My most sincere thanks to Honb @PMOIndia Shri.@narendramodi ji for giving me an opportunity to serve as Governor of Telangana my sincere thanks to @AmitShah and for all those who have been supportive to me in my political career.I feel this as an opportunity to serve the Nation
— Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (@DrTamilisaiBJP) September 1, 2019
BJP veteran Mishra, who was the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, has been transferred to Rajasthan. He will now replace Kalyan Singh as the state's Governor. Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Dattatreya has been appointed the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, replacing Mishra. Former Union minister Khan was named Kerala's new Governor while Koshyari will replace Vidya Sagar Rao as the Maharashtra Governor.
Following the announcement of his appointment as Kerala's Governor, Khan said it was a great opportunity to serve people. "I am fortunate to be born in a country like India that is so vast and rich in diversity. It's a great opportunity for me to know this part of India, which forms the country's boundary and is called god's own country," he said.
