President Murmu accepts Koshyari's resignation, Ramesh Bais appointed Maharashtra governor
President Droupadi Murmu appointed Ramesh Bais as the new governor of Maharashtra on Sunday after accepting the resignation of Bhagat Singh Koshyari from the post. The decision was part of several crucial Constitutional appointments made by Murmu on Sunday morning. The president also appointed a new lieutenant governor (L-G) for the union territory of Ladakh and a governor for Arunachal Pradesh, among other states.
Why does this story matter?
Former Uttarakhand CM Koshyari has often found himself in the crosshairs of controversy with his inflammatory statements. He triggered a row in November when he asserted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an icon of the "olden days." In July, he sparked controversy by claiming Maharashtra would have no money if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis left. Opposition parties demanded his ouster several times, accusing him of prejudice.
Koshyari had conveyed his desire to resign to PM Modi
Bais replacing Koshyari, who informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January that he wished to step down from the top post, as the Maharashtra governor is a politically significant development. Last month, the Raj Bhavan also issued a statement saying that Koshyari had expressed his desire to spend the rest of his life in reading, writing, and other leisurely activities.
When Koshyari stirred big political row
RSS veteran Koshyari was appointed as Maharashtra's governor in September 2019. Notably, the state was placed under President's Rule on his recommendation in November when no party could prove its majority. He then invited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the government and conducted an early-morning oath ceremony of Devendra Fadnavis before the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) could stake a claim.
Who is new Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais?
Born on August 2, 1947, in Raipur, Madhya Pradesh, Bais is a seven-time MP from Raipur. He was also a Union minister of state in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government (1998-2004). Bais later succeeded Kaptan Singh Solanki as the governor of Tripura and held the post from 2019 to 2021. He was then appointed as the 10th governor of Jharkhand in July 2021.
