Thu Jan 02 05:38:37 UTC 2025: ## New Governor Sworn In Amidst High Expectations in Kerala

**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, January 2, 2025** – Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar assumed office as the 23rd Governor of Kerala today in a ceremony at Raj Bhavan. Kerala High Court Chief Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar administered the oath. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, and other dignitaries attended the swearing-in.

Mr. Arlekar, formerly the Governor of Bihar, replaces Arif Mohammed Khan. His appointment is significant given the strained relationship between Mr. Khan and the Left government. Mr. Khan now assumes the Governorship of Bihar.

The 70-year-old Governor, a commerce graduate from Goa, has a long history in Indian politics. A former member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he served twice as a member of the Goa Legislative Assembly, as Speaker from 2012 to 2015, and as Minister for Forest and Environment and Panchayats from 2015 to 2017. He previously held the Governorship of Himachal Pradesh before his Bihar appointment in February 2023.

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