Who will be Odisha’s next Governor after Ganeshi Lal?

Who will take charge as the next Governor of Odisha? Speculations are rife that the state may soon get a new Governor as the term of the incumbent Governor Prof. Ganeshi Lal ended today. As no official communiqué has been issued by the Rashtrapati Bhawan, it is expected that Ganeshi Lal will continue to assume charge of the Constitutional post till any formal announcement is made.

Ganeshi Lal had taken oath as the Governor of Odisha on May 29, 2018. Ganeshi Lal is quite popular for his down-to-earth personality and has been able to discharge his duties efficiently. He has also been able to strike a chord with the people and attended several programmes in various districts of the state.

“It is all due to your blessings that I have been able to reach out to people,” said Ganeshi Lal.

Odisha BJP president, Manmohan Samal said, “Usually there is no delay, we hope that the President of India will appoint a new Governor for the state as his term has ended.”

Ganeshi Lal’s stint as Odisha Governor has been free from any controversies. Hailing from Haryana, Ganeshi Lal has served as president of the Haryana BJP and also as a minister. Since assuming the office of the Odisha Governor, Ganeshi Lal’s rapport with the BJD-led govt has been good and free from any controversies.

It has been observed that there have been controversies between Governors and the state governments in other parts of the country. Such issues were not observed in Odisha as BJD has a full majority here and there was no threat to the ruling party.

As the elections are around the corner, the role of the next Governor of Odisha will be quite challenging if there is a slight change in the election and seat equation here.

Constitutional expert, Manas Behera said, “Till the appointment of a new Governor, the incumbent Governor can continue for a temporary period. Once the appointment is made, the term of Prof Ganeshi Lal will end.”

Senior journalist, Rabi Das said, “As there will be general elections in 2024, the role of the new Governor will be challenging. If there will be no majority, the Governor’s role will assume significance. It depends on the Centre’s stand.”