Om Prakash Mathur takes oath as Keralam Governor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Om Prakash Mathur was sworn in as the 29th Governor of Keralam at Lok Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram. Justice Soumen Sen, Chief Justice of the High Court of Keralam, administered the oath of office at the Lok Bhavan Auditorium. Mathur, who previously served as the Governor of Sikkim, succeeds Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who has been transferred to Tamil Nadu as the state’s Governor. The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister, ministers, legislators and other dignitaries. Keralam Minister and state Congress chief Sunny Joseph welcomed Mathur’s appointment, describing the ceremony as a happy occasion. He said the event was attended by the Chief Minister, the Chief Justice, ministers and MLAs, adding that the state had warmly welcomed its new Governor. Rajasthan Minister Sanjay Sharma described Mathur’s appointment as a moment of pride for Rajasthan, particularly for grassroots-level workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Sharma highlighted Mathur’s long political career, including his tenure as Rajasthan BJP president, organisational responsibilities at the national level and two terms as a Rajya Sabha member. Jaipur (South) BJP district president Rajesh Gurjar also praised Mathur’s organisational experience, saying he had served in several roles and contributed to developing new leadership. Gurjar expressed hope for a bright future for Keralam under the new Governor. 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 later served as the BJP’s Rajasthan state president and general secretary in charge of Gujarat, besides handling organisational responsibilities nationally. He also managed election campaigns for the BJP in several states before being appointed Governor of Sikkim. Mathur’s appointment is part of a wider reshuffle of gubernatorial positions announced by President Droupadi Murmu. The President recently appointed new Governors for Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Odisha and Sikkim, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan statement. The change places Mathur in charge of the constitutional office in Keralam following the transfer of his predecessor.