Ramesh Bais (74) will succeed Droupadi Murmu as the new governor of Jharkhand after a formal notification was issued from the office of the President of India on Tuesday.

Bais, who was governor of Tripura before being assigned to Jharkhand, is among seven others whom President Ramnath Kovind appointed in various states. Bais will be the 10th governor of Jharkhand.

Murmu who was appointed in May 2015 as the first woman governor of the state also holds the distinction of being the first resident of Raj Bhawan to have completed a five-year term in the state since its creation in year 2000.

Bais, who is from Chhattisgarh, has been a member of the BJP and served as Union minister of state (Independent charge) for environment and forests during the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government from 1999. He was elected to the 9th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th Lok Sabha from Raipur.

His appointment has evoked mixed reactions in Jharkhand. BJP’s Khunti MP and Union tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda said, “I congratulate honorable Ramesh Bais on his appointment as governor of Jharkhand. He has an illustrious experience in politics and parliamentary affairs and his wisdom will help in overall development of the state.”

State health minister and Congress MLA from Jamshedpur West Banna Gupta, however, questioned the logic and timing of replacing incumbant Droupdai Murmu. He also accused the Centre of being anti-tribal and anti-women. “Droupadi Murmu, a tribal lady, was well spoken and sensitive Governor. Her removal by Centre exposes its mindset towards tribals and women. It was an honor for Jharkhand to have a lady tribal as the governor.”