President Droupadi Murmu, on Tuesday, appointed two new governors and reassigned three others, reorganising leadership across five states.

Former Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has been appointed as the new Governor of Manipur, a state that has been grappling with ethnic clashes between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May last year. Bhalla, a 1984-batch IAS officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, completed his five-year tenure as Union Home Secretary in August this year.

Also Read:Manipur: Govt extends internet suspension till December 5, public transport resumes under tight security

In another significant development, former Army Chief General (retd) Vijay Kumar Singh, who also served as a minister in the last two terms of the Modi government, has been named the new Governor of Mizoram.

Singh, who retired as Army Chief in 2012, joined the BJP ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and successfully contested from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, retaining the seat in 2019. He did not contest the recent general elections.

Also Read:‘Constitutional posts not to settle scores’: VP Jagdeep Dhankar responds to INDIA bloc’s no-confidence motion against him

Meanwhile, Kerala’s Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has been reassigned to Bihar, where assembly elections are due next year. Vishwanath Arlekar has been appointed as the new Governor of Kerala.

Additionally, President Murmu accepted the resignation of Odisha Governor Raghubar Das and appointed Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati as the new Governor of Odisha. These appointments will take effect once the appointees assume their respective offices.