Himachal CM welcomes Governor-designate Kalraj Mishra

Newly-appointed Himachal Pradesh Governor Kalraj Mishra was on Sunday received a rousing reception by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and others when he reached here.

Veteran BJP leader Mishra will take oath as the 26th Governor of Himachal Pradesh on July 22 at 4.15 pm.

Thakur and his wife, Mayor Municipal Corporation Kusum Sadret, Chief Secretary B K Agarwal, Director General of Police (DGP) S R Mardi, senior officials of the state government and other dignitaries welcomed Mishra at the Raj Bhawan.

While congratulating Mishra, the Chief Minister welcomed him with a Himachali cap and shawl.

Earlier, Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Deputy Mayor Amit Kashyap, Superintendent of Police (SP) Umapati Jamwal and others welcomed him at Annadale helipad here.

On this occasion, Mishra said: "The Governor is the top-most Constitutional post in the state. The endeavour will be made to make the state more beautiful with the support and cooperation of all."

Mishra, 78, who was in charge of the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, had resigned in 2017 after he crossed 75 years beyond which BJP leaders are barred from occupying official posts and cannot contest elections.

He was elected as an MP in 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Deoria in Uttar Pradesh, in which he had defeated Bahujan Samaj Party's Niyaj Ahmad with a margin of over 2.65 lakh votes.

Earlier this year, Mishra had announced that he will not contest the 2019 general elections and will devote his time to other party responsibilities instead.

( With inputs from ANI )