After cabinet, focus shifts to governors

With cabinet reshuffle over, the focus has now shifted to appointment of governors. New governors have to be appointed in at least six states — Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Goa, Uttarakhand and Delhi. HT reports.

With cabinet reshuffle over, the focus has now shifted to appointment of governors. New governors have to be appointed in at least six states — Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Goa, Uttarakhand and Delhi.

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TN governor Surjit Singh Barnala, Madhya Pradesh governor Rameshwar Thakur and Goagovernor SS Sidhu have completed their terms.

Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil is holding the additional charge of Rajasthan after the death of Prabha Rau.

There is speculation that Uttarakhand governor Margaret Alva is likely to replace Barnala, who was given an extension at the behest of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi. Alva reportedly shares a good rapport with new chief minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa.

Delhi lieutenant governor Tejendra Khanna, who has a few months left to complete his tenure, is expected to be shifted to some other state.

The names of new governors are understood to have been finalised during recent series of meetings between PM Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The new appointments are expected to be announced soon.

On her part, Gandhi also has to complete the restructuring process of the party.

On Tuesday, she appointed Vidarbha strongman Vilas Muttemwar, a Lok Sabha member from Nagpur, as the 10th general secretary of the party. He will be soon be assigned his responsibilities.

Muttemwar, 62, a minister of state in UPA-I, was a prominent ministerial hopeful from Maharashtraagain this time.

She also appointed Arun Yadav, who was dropped as the MoS for agriculture and food processing, as an AICC secretary. The party already has more than 30 secretaries.