CM Vishnu Deo Sai congratulates six newly appointed Governors
Synopsis
President Draupadi Murmu appointed six new state governors in a single round, covering Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai extended congratulations, highlighting the appointments' potential to strengthen governance in each state.
Key Takeaways
President Draupadi Murmu appointed six new governors in one executive round on or around 12 October 2026 .
Om Prakash Mathur goes to Kerala ; Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to Tamil Nadu ; Braj Mohan Ram to Odisha .
Sudha Yadav is appointed Governor of Karnataka ; Dr.
Dhal Singh Bisen to Uttarakhand ; Dushyant Gautam to Sikkim .
Braj Mohan Ram is a BJP MP from Raipur, Chhattisgarh — CM Sai's home state — making his Odisha appointment the most locally resonant for Sai.
Three of the six states — Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka — are governed by opposition parties, setting up potential constitutional friction at the Raj Bhavan.
Dushyant Gautam , former BJP national general secretary, brings organisational-level experience to the Sikkim governorship.
Six states just got new Governors — and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai was among the first senior BJP voices to publicly welcome every one of them, posting warm congratulations on Monday, 12 October 2026.
President Draupadi Murmu formally appointed all six governors in a single round of executive appointments. The list spans the length of India: Om Prakash Mathur as Governor of Kerala, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as Governor of Tamil Nadu, Braj Mohan Ram as Governor of Odisha, Dr. Sudha Yadav as Governor of Karnataka, Dr. Dhal Singh Bisen as Governor of Uttarakhand, and Dushyant Gautam as Governor of Sikkim.
Who are the six new Governors?
The batch covers six politically and geographically diverse states. Om Prakash Mathur, a senior BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan, heads to Kerala — a state with a strong Left government, making the Raj Bhavan dynamic one to watch. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who previously served as Governor of Bihar and before that Himachal Pradesh, moves to Tamil Nadu, bringing considerable constitutional experience to a state governed by the DMK. Braj Mohan Ram, a BJP MP from Chhattisgarh's Raipur constituency with deep roots in the state CM Sai leads, takes charge in Odisha — a state now under BJP rule after a historic 2024 election result.
Dr. Sudha Yadav, a former MP from Haryana, is appointed to Karnataka, currently governed by the Congress. Dr. Dhal Singh Bisen, a veteran BJP politician from Madhya Pradesh, moves to Uttarakhand, a BJP-governed state. Dushyant Gautam, a former national general secretary of the BJP, takes the Raj Bhavan in Sikkim.
CM Sai's message and the Chhattisgarh connection
Posting in Hindi, Chief Minister Sai offered what translated as: 'Hardik badhai evam shubhkamnayein' — heartfelt congratulations and best wishes — to all six appointees, expressing confidence that their 'rich experience and able guidance will give new momentum to the development journey of the respective states and further strengthen public welfare and good governance.'
The Chhattisgarh link is particularly notable: Braj Mohan Ram, the new Odisha Governor, is a BJP MP from Raipur in Chhattisgarh, the state Sai heads. His transition from Parliament to Raj Bhavan also raises the question of the Raipur Lok Sabha seat's future.
Governors in India are constitutional heads of state, appointed by the President on the advice of the Union Cabinet. While the role is largely ceremonial, in states where the ruling party at the Centre and the state government differ — as in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka — the Governor's office can become a significant political flashpoint over matters such as bill assent, university appointments, and floor-test calls.
Six new faces in six Raj Bhavans — the real test of each tenure begins the moment the constitutional ink dries.
Point of View
Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka has historically been a pressure point; the new appointees' tenures will quickly reveal whether this batch tilts toward friction or consensus. CM Sai's prompt public endorsement, particularly of Braj Mohan Ram — a fellow Chhattisgarh BJP figure — underlines the intra-party solidarity messaging that often accompanies such announcements.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the six governors appointed by President Draupadi Murmu in October 2026?
President Draupadi Murmu appointed Om Prakash Mathur as Kerala Governor, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as Tamil Nadu Governor, Braj Mohan Ram as Odisha Governor, Dr. Sudha Yadav as Karnataka Governor, Dr. Dhal Singh Bisen as Uttarakhand Governor, and Dushyant Gautam as Sikkim Governor.
Who is Om Prakash Mathur, the new Kerala Governor?
Om Prakash Mathur is a senior BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan, now appointed as Governor of Kerala.
Who is Braj Mohan Ram, the new Odisha Governor?
Braj Mohan Ram is a BJP Member of Parliament from Raipur, Chhattisgarh, who has been appointed as the new Governor of Odisha.
Why did CM Vishnu Deo Sai congratulate the new governors?
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai extended congratulations as a senior BJP leader welcoming the presidential appointments, with a particular connection to Braj Mohan Ram, who is an MP from his home state of Chhattisgarh.
What is the role of a Governor in India?
A Governor is the constitutional head of an Indian state, appointed by the President. The role is largely ceremonial but can become politically significant in states where the ruling party at the Centre differs from the state government.
