Former BJP Minister from Odisha Biswa Bhusan Harichandan has been appointed as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh on Monday. Bhusan will take over from ESL Narasimhan, who has served as Governor for Andhra Pradesh since December 2009.

The 84-year-old politician was elected to Odisha Assembly five times from Chilika and Bhubaneswar constituencies. He also held the portfolios of law ministry and revenue and fisheries under the BJP-BJD coalition government in the state.

Bhusan joined the Bharatiya Jana Sangha in 1971 and became its National Executive Member and its State General Secretary till the formation of Janata Party in 1977. He joined the BJP and was its President for Odisha from 1980 to 1988. 

ESL Narasimhan assumed the office in 2009 when Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were still united. Following the bifurcation, he continued to serve as Governor for both states. It was said that he would continue his role since he was deeply familiar with the bifurcation issues between the two Telugu states and could play a negotiating role in solving those problems.

The Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act of 2014 states that the Governor of the existing state of Andhra Pradesh would be the common Governor for both states “for a period as may be determined by the President.”