In a significant development for Punjab’s political landscape, Gulab Chand Kataria is set to be sworn in as the new Governor of Punjab and the Administrator of Chandigarh Union Territory on July 31.
Kataria’s appointment follows a period of notable tension between the current Governor of Punjab and Chandigarh UT Administrator, Banwari Lal Purohit, and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The two leaders have had a contentious relationship, marked by verbal spats and disagreements over governance issues.
One of the key points of conflict was Purohit’s decision to withhold several bills, leading to heated exchanges between him and CM Mann through the media. Governor Purohit often perceived CM Mann’s responses as disrespectful, further straining their relationship.
Recently, CM Mann expressed dissatisfaction with Purohit’s practice of taking senior officials on tours to villages along the Punjab borders. According to Mann, these tours disrupted the state’s governance and administrative processes.
The friction between the two leaders was also evident in CM Mann’s public statements, where he frequently referred to Purohit as “selected” and himself as “elected,” emphasizing that democracy should be led by elected officials, not appointed ones.
When asked about Kataria’s upcoming role as Punjab Governor, given his background as a BJP politician, CM Mann responded, “Let him join, we are known for our hospitality. We will welcome him wholeheartedly. Why is the media expecting another rift? We are here to work together as a team.”
Gulab Chand Kataria, born on October 13, 1944, in Rajsamand, is an Indian politician who has been serving as the 31st Governor of Assam since February 22, 2023. A senior BJP leader from Rajasthan, Kataria has held various significant positions in his political career. He served as a minister in the Government of Rajasthan from 2013 to 2018, 2003 to 2008, and from 1993 to 1998. He was the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Rajasthan state unit from 1999 to 2000 and has been a member of the central working committee of the party.
Kataria represented Udaipur in the 9th Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, from 1989 to 1991. Despite being booked by the CBI in the Sheikh encounter killing during the Congress government’s rule, he was found not guilty by the court. He has also served as the Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from 2019 to 2023, 2013 to 2013, and from 2002 to 2003. Additionally, he was a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from Udaipur from 2003 to 2023, from 1977 to 1986, and from Bari Sadri from 1993 to 2003.
Kataria’s extensive political career includes serving as the Home Minister of Rajasthan from 2004 to 2008 and again from 2014 to 2018. He also served as the Education Minister in Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s government between 1993 and 1998.
As Gulab Chand Kataria prepares to take on his new role, the political community and the people of Punjab will be watching closely to see how his tenure will unfold and whether it will usher in a period of smoother relations between the Governor’s office and the state government.
