Will work together, says Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann after Gulab Chand Kataria appointed as new Governor

Chandigarh

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on July 28 said he would welcome Gulab Chand Kataria, the new Governor of the state, and work with him.

Mr Kataria replaced Banwarilal Purohit as Governor of Punjab as part of the key governorship appointments announced on July 27.

President Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignation of Mr. Purohit as Governor of Punjab and the Administrator of Chandigarh. Mr. Purohit had submitted his resignation in February 2024.

Responding to a question about the new incumbent President, CM Mann said that he had spoken to Mr Kataria on July 28 morning, who told him that he would take oath on July 31.

“The President has appointed the new Governor. We will welcome the new Governor. We will work together,” CM Mann told reporters in Chandigarh after flagging off 58 new ambulances.

The CM said he respected Mr Purohit but was not happy with his visits to the border districts. Mr Purohit was trying to create an “atmosphere of conflict”, he added.

Referring to his recent two-day visit to Jalandhar, CM Mann said the chief secretary and the director general of police could not accompany him as they accompanied the governor on his visits to the border districts.

“How could he run a parallel (government),” CM Mann said, adding that he had no role in Mr Purohit’s resignation. On July 26, when Mr Purohit was asked why he was resigning, he said: “Maybe I thought the CM didn’t like me.”

CM Mann on July 25 slammed Mr Purohit for his visits to border areas, saying he should not create an “atmosphere of conflict” and instead organise a seminar at a university.

Mr. Purohit had held meetings with villagers and officials of the police and central agencies during his visits to the border districts. Mr. Purohit visited Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts on July 23 and Amritsar on July 24. It was his seventh visit as Governor.

Mr Purohit and CM Mann had earlier clashed over several issues, including the summary of the Assembly sitting and the appointments of vice-chancellors of state universities.