Chandigarh, 21 July: Ashim Kumar Ghosh was sworn in as the 19th governor of Haryana on Monday, replacing Bandaru Dattatraya. The oath of office was administered by Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Sheel Nagu at a ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh.
Ghosh, 81, a political scientist and former professor from Kolkata, is a veteran of the BJP’s formative years in West Bengal. His appointment is being seen as a tribute to the party’s older generation and a recognition of his contribution to building the organisation in a state where the BJP remained on the fringes for decades.
Present at the swearing-in were Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, and Haryana BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli.
Ghosh headed the BJP’s West Bengal unit from 1999 to 2002, a period marked by modest consolidation for the party. Though he stepped away from active politics nearly two decades ago, he remained a respected voice known for his ideological clarity and commitment to organisational discipline.
His elevation comes at a time when the BJP is seen to be reaching back to its foundational leadership to reinforce institutional continuity.
