SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, Dec 24: Odisha Governor Raghubar Das resigned from his position today, fuelling speculation about his next move.
According to a communiqué from Rashtrapati Bhawan, the President of India has officially accepted Raghubar Das’ resignation. Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, the current Governor of Mizoram, has been appointed as his successor in Odisha.
Sources suggest that holding a gubernatorial position did not align with Das’ political career. “He expressed his desire to leave the Raj Bhawan and return to active politics,” said an associate of Das, the former Jharkhand chief minister.
However, it remains unclear what role the BJP leadership has planned for him. A senior BJP leader mentioned that there are rumours Das could be named the national president of the BJP. Others speculate he might return to Jharkhand BJP to rejuvenate the state unit, which has been struggling since its humiliating defeat in the assembly elections.
Raghubar Das was appointed Governor of Odisha on October 18, 2023, after the BJP’s loss in the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly elections. That defeat was largely attributed to discontent among tribal voters, reportedly caused by the Das-led government’s move to amend the CNT/SPT Acts.
The BJP’s move to send Das to Odisha was seen as an effort to give Babulal Marandi a free hand in Jharkhand after Marandi merged his party, the JVM, with the BJP in 2020. Despite these efforts, Marandi was unable to reclaim power from the JMM-led coalition in the 2024 elections.
Following the BJP’s poor performance in the recent assembly elections, there is a growing demand within sections of the party to consolidate support among the 74% of non-tribal voters in Jharkhand. Tribals, who make up 26% of the state’s population, largely backed the JMM-led coalition in the elections.
“A leadership change might be aimed at strengthening the BJP’s OBC vote bank,” said a political analyst, hinting at the possibility of Das taking a prominent role in this strategy.
New Governors Appointed
The President of India has also announced the following gubernatorial appointments:
- General (Dr.) Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM (Retd.) has been appointed as the Governor of Mizoram.
- Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the current Governor of Bihar, is now appointed as the Governor of Kerala.
- Arif Mohammed Khan, the outgoing Governor of Kerala, has been appointed as the Governor of Bihar.
- Ajay Kumar Bhalla has been named the new Governor of Manipur.
These appointments will take effect from the dates the respective individuals assume charge of their offices, according to a press communiqué from the Office of the Press Secretary to the President.
