In a major move ahead of a possible Cabinet reshuffle, President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday appointed new governors for eight states.
Union Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot was appointed as Karnataka Governor and Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel were named as the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqu .
The announcement comes amid reports of Union Cabinet reshuffle.
Gehlot, a Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh, is the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister.
Patel, a BJP leader from Gujarat, will be the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, it said.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel was holding an additional charge of Madhya Pradesh.
President Ram Nath Kovind has approved the appointments of Hari Babu Kambhampati and Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as Governors of Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh respectively, it said.
BJP leader from Andhra Pradesh Kambhampati succeeds P S Sreedharan Pillai, who has been transferred and appointed as Governor of Goa, the communique said.
Arlekar, BJP's leader from Goa and former Speaker, replaces Bandaru Dattatraya who has been transferred and appointed as Haryana Governor, it said.
Satyadev Narayan Arya, Governor of Haryana is transferred and appointed as Governor of Tripura, the statement said.
Tripura Governor Ramesh Bais has been transferred and appointed as Governor of Jharkhand, succeeding Droupadi Murmu, according to the communique.
These appointments will take effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices, it said.