In a significant reshuffle of gubernatorial appointments, President Droupadi Murmu has named former Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla as the new Governor of Manipur. This appointment comes at a critical time, as the state has been grappling with ethnic strife between the Meitei community and Kuki tribes since May 2023.
Ajay Bhalla, a 1984-batch IAS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, is recognized for his extensive experience in handling security matters. During his tenure as Union Home Secretary, he played a pivotal role in enacting key legislations, including the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. Bhalla retired in August 2024 and has been closely associated with managing security challenges in Manipur, making him well-suited to address the ongoing crisis.
The reshuffle also saw the appointment of former Union Minister General V.K. Singh (Retd.) as the new Governor of Mizoram. A two-time Lok Sabha MP from Ghaziabad, Singh brings a wealth of administrative and military experience to his new role. Meanwhile, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has been transferred to Bihar, with Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the outgoing Bihar Governor, taking over as Kerala’s new Governor.
The President also accepted the resignation of Odisha Governor Raghubar Das. Hari Babu Kambhampati, previously the Governor of Mizoram, will now assume the role in Odisha.
These appointments are seen as strategic moves, particularly in Manipur and Kerala. Manipur continues to face ethnic violence that has claimed over 250 lives, while Kerala’s gubernatorial transition follows frequent tensions between Arif Mohammed Khan and the state’s Left Front government.
This reshuffle underscores the government’s focus on deploying experienced administrators to states facing complex political and social challenges.
