Vala sworn-in as Karnataka governor

Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala took over as Karnataka governor Monday.

"Vala took oath in Hindi in the name of god. He was sworn-in by Karnataka High Court Chief Justice D.H. Waghela at a simple ceremony in the glass house of the Raj Bhavan," an official told IANS.

Earlier, state Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee read the warrant issued by President Pranab Mukherjee issued Aug 26, appointing the 76-year-old Vala as the new governor of the state.

Vala replaced H.R. Bhardwaj who demitted office June 29 on completing his five-year term.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ananth Kumar, former chief ministers B.S. Yeddyurappa and Jagdish Shettar, state Home Minister K.J. George, state Information Minister Roshan Baig, legislative council Chairman D.S. Shankara Murthy and assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa were present on the occasion.

Siddaramaiah and the other dignitaries felicitated Vala on assuming office, the official said.

For security reasons, media persons were not allowed to meet or interact with the new governor.

Vala resigned Aug 28 as Gujarat assembly speaker and lawmaker from Rajkot.

A close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vala was also a state cabinet minister for over a decade in the BJP governments of Modi and Keshubhai Patel.

When Modi took over from Patel as chief minister in 2001, Vala vacated the Rajkot-2 assembly seat, making way for Modi to enter the assembly.

During his long tenure as minister, Vala held many portfolios, including finance and revenue.