New Delhi, August 26
The Narendra Modi government today appointed former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh as the Governor of Rajasthan. The Centre also named three more BJP leaders for the Raj Bhavans in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa on a day when Kerala Governor Sheila Dikshit announced her resignation.

Gujarat Assembly Speaker Vajubhai Vala has been appointed the Governor of Karanatka where HR Bharadwaj completed his tenure recently. Former Union Minister C Vidyasagar Rao will take the place of K Shankaranarayanan, who quit as the Governor of Maharashtra on Sunday after he was shifted to Mizoram.

Making the second set of gubernatorial appointments after it assumed office at the Centre, the Modi government appointed Telengana BJP leader and former Minister of State for Home C Vidyasagar Rao as the Maharashtra Governor and former BJP women’s wing president Mridula Sinha as the Goa Governor.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué announced the new appointments and also the acceptance of the resignation of K Sankaranarayanan, who resigned after being shifted from Maharasthra to Mizoram. Manipur Governor Vinod Kumar Duggal will hold the additional charge till a regular appointment is made.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit quit as the as Governor of Kerala. Her resignation comes a day after she met Home Minister Rajnath Singh and President Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi. “I have resigned. I resigned yesterday and don’t want to comment further,” Dikshit said.

She became the eighth UPA-appointed Governor to quit office. Kamla Beniwal, who was shifted from Gujarat to Mizoram and Virendra Kataria, the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, were removed by the NDA Government recently.

Kalyan Singh (82) will assume charge in Rajasthan. The prestigious post fell vacant after the retirement of Margaret Alva earlier this month. Vajubhai Vala (76) will take over in Bangalore after the post fell vacant as former incumbent HR Bharadwaj completed his tenure.

C Vidyasagar Rao (69), who was the former president of the Andhra Pradesh BJP before he became a junior minister under LK Advani in the Home Ministry, will assume office in Maharasthra after the transfer of Sankaranaryanan. Mridula Sinha (71), a well-known Hindi writer, was appointed as the Governor of Goa in place of BV Wanchoo, who was among those asked to quit after the change of guard at the Centre.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué said the appointments would take effect from the dates the incumbents assume charge of their offices. Earlier, the NDA Government had appointed six Governors.