R. L. Bhatia to be Bihar's New Governor
Patna: June 26, 2008
 The UPA government, in a preemptive move to gain political edge over its rival NDA in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, made its first major move by ordering reshuffling of Governors of various states including Bihar where R. S. Gavai is expected to be replaced by Kerala Governor R. L. Bhatia.
Besides Bihar, Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Assam are also expected to get new Governors, sources said.
Bhatia, who would be the state's 32nd Governor, is expected to take charge as early as this Saturday.
A law graduate of Lahore University, Bhatia is an old Congressman with first being elected to the Lok Sabha from Amritsar in 1972.
He was then reelected to the Parliament in 1980, 1985, 1992, 1996, and 1999.
78-year old Gavai became the Governor of Bihar almost two years ago on June 22, 2006 following the unceremonious resignation of Buta Singh who, under mounting pressure from the NDA for suggesting President's Rule in Bihar, resigned just hours after the January 26 Republic Day celebration at Gandhi Maidan in Patna.
During his two-year tenure in Bihar, Gavai earned respect from leaders from all parties and remained above the fray of petty politics despite some bitterness among a certain group of people because of his root in Maharashtra and the anti-Bihari rhetoric spearheaded by Maharashtra's extremist leader and segregationist Raj Thackeray.
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