By Dr. Gyan Pathak
The latest reshuffle of the governors in 9 states and UTs of India seems not merely an administrative exercise, but has greater political significance. It is actually a manifestation of Centre’s changing political stance vis-à-vis most politically sensitive states and UTs of the country at this juncture. Two of them – West Bengal and Tamil Nadu – are going to polls in April-May, election schedule for which are likely to be announced by the Election Commission of India this month..
The nine states and Union Territories where Governors and Lieutenant Governors were changed are West Bengal, Bihar, Telangana, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Delhi, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. The change of the constitutional heads may seem on the surface as administrative exercise, but analysts seen deep political meaning in them.
Governor R. N. Ravi has been moved from Tamil Nadu to West Bengal after the resignation of C. V. Ananda Bose. Retired Army officer Syed Ata Hasnain appointed Governor of Bihar. Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been appointed Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Vinai Kumar Saxena has been shifted to Ladakh as LG. Governor of Himachal Pradesh Shiv Pratap Shukla has been appointed Governor of Telangana, while Governor of Telangana Jishnu Dev Varma has been moved to Maharashtra. Nand Kishore Yadav appointed Governor of Nagaland. Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar was given additional charge of Tamil Nadu.
Few of things are to be noted that West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and Ladakh Lieutenant-Governor Kavindra Gupta had resigned on March 5. As for Ananda Bose, he had become controversial in West Bengal not only because of conflict with the CM Mamata Banerjee on several issues, but also because a woman working in governor house has alleged him of sexual exploitation. As for LG of Ladakh Kavinder Gupta, he will take charge as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh. It was only in July 2025, Mr Gupta was appointed LG there, but his tenure witnessed unprecedented violence on September 24, 2025, in which four people were killed in police firing when people were protesting constitutional safeguard for the region.
Change of governor in any state is significant because it marks change in constitutional head of a state. But when there is reshuffle of governors, it is far more significant, which signals the changing stance of the ruling establishment at the Centre, especially in the states where the ruling party at the Centre and the state government are different.
Since two of the states – Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are opposition ruled, changing the constitutional head is significant just on the eve of election. In both the states there have been repeated tensions between governors and the state governments. Replacing governors just before election may be either intended to reset or intensify those political dynamics. Changing the governors there can matter for several other reasons, because it is the governor who oversees government formation in case of a hung assembly. Governors have power even to recommend President’s Rule, and has discretion in inviting parties to form government after the election result are out.
BJP has much at stake in West Bengal election, where it hopes to defeat the TMC government led by Mamata Banerjee. SIR has already redrawn the electoral map of the state. Getting a new governor like R N Ravi there is therefore important for the BJP. Political uncertainty may enable R N Ravi to play an important role.
As for Tamil Nadu, BJP is trying hard to make inroads and hope that it would be able to increase it seats. Transferring R N Ravi from the state and giving Kerala governor an additional charge of the state is significant because Ravi and CM M K Stalin have been locked in conflict for several years. By changing the governor in Tamil Nadu, BJP has tried to avoid the political wave against the BJP on account of Ravi.
Appointment of a new governor seems to be strategic in Delhi, where LG V K Saxena had recommended CBI case against the Kejriwal government on liquor scam, which has just fell flat when a CBI court has discharged all the 23 accused and not found the case even to be sent to trial. It was a humiliation for PM Narendra Modi, who has got Kejriwal and others to be arrested before the Lok Sabha election 2024. In February 2025 election, BJP was able to throw AAP government out of power. Posting a former diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu as LG of Delhi is therefore significant move. Placing an experienced bureaucratic figure in a politically contentious NCT Delhi is important for other reasons too, such as to attract Sikh votes not only in Delhi, but also in Punjab, a state that is going to poll in 2027. It is a political signalling for Punjab where Sikhs are dead against the BJP.
Another politically sensitive state is Bihar, where retired General Syed Ata Hasnain has been appointed new governor in place of Arif Mohammed Khan. Placing a military or security professional in constitutional role in Bihar is important, because it has become highly politically sensitive. CM Nitish Kumar has been removed from Bihar politics and BJP will be taking hold of the governments. There are other plans too for Bihar – one of them is to split it for a new UT called Seemanchal in which part of West Bengal will also be included.
Telangana is ruled by Congress at present, and changing the governor for Telangana is seen as a strategic move of the Modi government. Similarly, appointing new governor of Nagaland will give relief to the Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the governor of Manipur, who was in charge of Nagaland. It seems to be strategic decision given the troubling situation in Manipur, where Bhalla has much to do as governor. Centre seem now to give more attention to Manipur. Jishnu Dev Varma as full time new governor in Maharashtra, where BJP led NDA is ruling, is important because the state is politically, economically, and strategically important, where Centre perhaps wants political rebalancing.
In brief, the current reshuffle of governors is not merely administrative, but s actually reflects changing political strategy, election preparation, and federal power management vis-à-vis politically or strategically sensitive states and UTs. (IPA Service)
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