Rosaiah sworn-in as Karnataka governor

Tamil Nadu Governor Konijeti Rosaiah Sunday took over additional charge of neighbouring Karnataka too following incumbent H.R. Bhardwaj's five-year tenure coming to an end.

Karnataka High Court Chief Justice D.H. Waghela administered the oath of office in English to the octogenarian Rosaiah at a simple ceremony held in the glass house on the lawns of Raj Bhavan.

"State Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee read out a warrant of appointment issued by the President appointing Rosaiah as the state governor," said a Raj Bhavan communique later.

Chief Minister Siddarmaiah, Legislature Council Chairman D.H. Shankara Murthy, Legislative Assembly Speaker K. Thimmappa, a few cabinet ministers and top officials were present on the occasion.

Rosaiah, however, left for Chennai later in the day to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Chennai briefly on way to Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, to witness the launch of an Indian rocket carrying five satellites Monday from the spaceport.

Rosaiah, a veteran Congressman, was chief minister of Andhra Pradesh from September 2009 to December 2010 and a senior cabinet minister and lawmaker in the then undivided neighbouring state.