In a significant reshuffle, President Droupadi Murmu has appointed new Governors for five states—Kerala, Bihar, Odisha, Mizoram, and Manipur. The appointments were announced by Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday, December 24, through a press communique.
Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the current Governor of Bihar, will be taking over as the Governor of Kerala. Arlekar, a BJP leader from Goa, has held influential positions, such as Cabinet Minister and Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly. He was previously the 29th Governor of Bihar and the 21st Governor of Himachal Pradesh.
Arif Mohammed Khan, the incumbent Kerala Governor, will be transferred to Bihar. Khan's tenure as Kerala Governor often clashed with the state government led by the CPI(M). Notably, Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled for next year.
Hari Babu Kambhampati, the current Governor of Mizoram, has been appointed as the Governor of Odisha. General Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.), will be the new Governor of Mizoram. He has been the recipient of Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM) - India's highest peacetime military award for distinguished service, Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM) that is awarded for ‘distinguished service of an exceptional order’ and Yudh Seva Medal (YSM) for distinguished service during wartime.
Former Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has been appointed as the Governor of Manipur. The President also accepted the resignation of Odisha’s Governor Raghubar Das. The press communique stated that all appointments will take effect from the respective dates the individuals assume office.