JOIN USRajasthan Governor Margaret Alva is likely to be replaced by Meghalaya Governor Krishan Kant Paul.
Paul is expected to be transferred to Rajasthan when Alva’s term ends on August 5, official sources said.
Alva, a senior Congress leader and former Union minister, became the Governor of Uttarakhand on August 6, 2009. She sought a transfer to Rajasthan, which was accepted by the UPA government in 2012. Alva took charge as the Rajasthan Governor on May 12, 2012.
Paul, a former Delhi Police commissioner, was appointed Meghalaya Governor in July 2013. Paul replaced Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary whose five-year term ended then.
Paul, was the Delhi Police commissioner from February 2004 to July 2007 and after retirement, became a member of Union Public Service Commission on July 26, 2007. He is married to Omita Paul, who is currently posted as secretary to President Pranab Mukherjee.
Alva’s replacement by Paul would mean that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would let more than 15 Congress appointed governors to retire on completion of their term over next few months or transfer them -- rather than undertake a big exercise to remove them summarily, which would go against the Supreme Court verdict of 2010.
Among them, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj is due to retire on June 29, Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadiya on July 26 while Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal’s tenure will end on November 27.
Veteran BJP leaders including Yashwant Sinha, V K Malhotra, Lalji Tandon, Kalyan Singh, Kesri Nath Tripathi and O Rajagopal are stated to be in the race to fill any vacancies. Malhotra’s name has been doing the rounds for the gubernatorial role in Karnataka.