Om Prakash Mathur sworn in as 29th Governor of Keralam

The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Lok Bhavan Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram. Chief Justice of the High Court of Keralam, Justice Soumen Sen, administered the oath of office to Mathur, who previously served as the Governor of Sikkim.

Speaking to ANI, State and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders welcomed his appointment and described it as a proud occasion.

Keralam Minister and State Congress chief Sunny Joseph described the ceremony as a happy occasion, highlighting the presence of the Chief Minister, the Chief Justice, ministers and MLAs.

"The swearing-in ceremony was conducted in a very pleasant mood, and it was well attended, along with the Chief Minister and the Chief Justice. Almost all the ministers were there; our MLAs were there. It was a very happy occasion to welcome the new governor to the beautiful state of Kerala, God's own country. We have strongly and warmly welcomed the new governor. And we are happy to attend the function," Joseph told ANI.

Rajasthan Minister Sanjay Sharma described Mathur's appointment as a moment of pride for Rajasthan, recalling his long association with the BJP and his organisational responsibilities.

"This is a moment of great pride for us. Om Prakash Mathur, a senior leader of the BJP in Rajasthan and a pracharak of the Sangh, has served in various capacities, including as the BJPs Rajasthan State President and as an organisational secretary. He has held diverse roles within the party at the national level, served two terms as a member of the Rajya Sabha, and overseen election management as the partys in-charge for several states," he told ANI.

He added, "Having recently concluded his tenure as the Governor of Sikkim, he has today taken the oath of office as the Governor of Kerala. This is a proud moment for all the people of Rajasthan, and especially for the grassroots-level workers of the BJP," Sharma said.

Jaipur (South) BJP District President Rajesh Gurjar also highlighted Mathur's political and organisational experience, including his role in developing new leadership within the party.

"Om Mathur has had an extensive political career. Throughout his journey, he has served in various capacitiesas a pracharak for the Sangh, as an in-charge for several states, as a Member of Parliament, and as a General Secretary, Organisation. In every role, he prioritised the organisation and delivered exceptional work, while also playing a pivotal role in cultivating new leadership. During his tenure as the Governor of Sikkim, he accomplished remarkable work. Today, he has taken the oath as the Governor of Keralam. We have accompanied him to offer our support, and we all wish for a bright future for the state of Keralam," Jaipur (South) BJP District President said.

Mathur hails from Bedal village in Bali, Pali district, Rajasthan. A graduate of Rajasthan University, he entered public life as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak. He subsequently served as the BJP's Rajasthan state president and general secretary in charge of Gujarat, besides holding organisational responsibilities at the national level.

He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan for two terms and handled election management for the BJP in several states before being appointed Governor of Sikkim.

Mathur succeeds Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as the 29th Governor of Keralam. Arlekar has been transferred to Tamil Nadu as the Governor of the state.

A week ago, President Droupadi Murmu appointed four new Governors to various states, according to a statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan. Sudha Yadav was appointed Governor of Karnataka, Dhal Singh Bisen as Governor of Uttarakhand, Braj Mohan Ram as Governor of Odisha and Dushyant Gautam as Governor of Sikkim.

The latest appointments form part of the changes in gubernatorial positions across the states announced by the President. (ANI)