NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji
Mohammed Fazal, one of the longest-serving governors of Goa, has been appointed the new governor of Maharashtra, while senior BJP leader from Andhra Pradesh, V Rama Rao, was appointed the governor of Sikkim.
Fazal, a former Planning Commission member, has been appointed as the governor of Maharashtra 'for the remainder of his term', a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said.
Kedarnath Sahni, the governor of Sikkim, will replace Fazal as Goa's governor. He will be the 11th governor of Goa, but otherwise 23rd in the line, with the former Union Territory having 13 lieutenant governors earlier.
The post of the Maharashtra governor fell vacant following the resignation of Dr P C Alexander in July. Alexander later stood for election to the Rajya Sabha and won.
Fazal took over in Goa on November 26, 1999, two days after yet another Congress government was toppled and the Congress rebels led by Francisco Sardinha, along with the Bharatiya Janata Party, formed a new coalition government.
Though he did not witness upheavals like his predecessors, the BJP toppled its own coalition government in 11 months by inducting few more Congress rebels into the saffron camp. Fazal then swore in Manohar Parrikar as the Goa's first BJP chief minister.
With the toppling games beginning in 1990 in Goa, the tiny state witnessed eight governors and 12 governments in nine years, till Fazal was appointed in 1999.
Unlike with the case of governors in the past, Fazal enjoyed a cordial relation with Parrikar, who was once again sworn in on June 3 this year, following his victory in the election after the sudden dissolution of the assembly on February 27.
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
