BJP MP Dinesh Sharma Appointed Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma has been appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. President Droupadi Murmu approved the appointment, with the Rashtrapati Bhavan announcing it late on September 5.
The appointment will take effect from the date Sharma formally assumes charge. He will succeed Admiral D K Joshi (retd), who has served as Lieutenant Governor since October 8, 2017.
Sharma, 62, has held several important political positions in Uttar Pradesh. He served as Deputy Chief Minister from 2017 to 2022 under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and is currently a BJP Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh.
He also serves as Vice Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. His present term in the Upper House is scheduled to end on November 25, making the new appointment particularly significant for the BJP’s parliamentary arithmetic.
Following the announcement, Sharma thanked President Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP’s central leadership. He described the new responsibility as a commitment to the Constitution, the nation and public service.
The change marks the end of Admiral Joshi’s nearly nine-year tenure in the strategically important Union Territory. His tenure was associated with greater emphasis on connectivity, tourism, maritime infrastructure and the strategic development of the islands.
The appointment also comes amid reports of a broader reshuffle of governors and constitutional posts. For the BJP, Sharma’s move from Parliament to the Union Territory administration will also create a vacancy in the Rajya Sabha, allowing the party to nominate a new member to the Upper House.
