Vinai Kumar Saxena, the former Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, is set to become the next Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. His appointment follows the resignation of Kavinder Gupta, who stepped down from the position on Thursday and has now been appointed as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh.
Several Indian states witnessed changes in their Governors on Thursday as part of a major reshuffle. States such as West Bengal, Bihar, Kerala, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, and Nagaland saw new appointments after some Governors either resigned or were transferred to other states. In West Bengal, former Governor CV Ananda Bose resigned, and the former Governor of Tamil Nadu was appointed in his place.
During his tenure as Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, Saxena frequently made headlines due to his clashes with the Aam Aadmi Party. In December last year, he wrote a letter to AAP’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of showing “gross indifference” and “criminal inaction” regarding the issue of air pollution and blaming his government for the situation. In response, the AAP said the letter was an attempt to shift attention away from the current Delhi government led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Delhi Chief Whip Sanjeev Jha also responded with a three-page reply, accusing Saxena of engaging in political activity despite holding a constitutional position. He said that the role of Lieutenant Governor is not meant for politics or publicity and added that if someone wants to engage in politics, they should step down from the post, emphasizing the need for accountability and neutral governance in Delhi.
Kavinder Gupta, who became Ladakh’s third Lieutenant Governor in July last year, also faced political challenges during his tenure. His term saw unrest related to the hunger strike led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who demanded statehood for Ladakh and protections under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The central government later arrested Wangchuk after large-scale protests in the region turned violent.
