Former Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju appointed Goa Governor

Born into the royal family of Vizianagaram, the TDP veteran leader has served as a legislator between 1977 and 2004, and an MP from 2014 to 2019

Former Union Minister of Civil Aviation and TDP leader Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju has been appointed as the Governor of Goa. President of India Droupadi Murmu issued the orders with regard to his appointment on Monday.

Political experts say the clean image of Mr. Gajapathi Raju in politics for the last five decades, his cordial relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top leaders of the BJP have earned him the post.

Mr. Ashok has been a close confidant of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who recommended his name for the Governor post. TDP is the alliance partner of the BJP at the Centre.

With Mr. Ashok being reluctant to contest in the 2024 general elections, the TDP leadership gave the Assembly ticket to his daughter Aditi Vijayalakshmi Gajapathi Raju, who won the Vizianagaram constituency by defeating then Deputy Speaker Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy.

Born on June 26, 1951, Mr. Ashok is the youngest son of the last Maharaja of Vizianagaram, P.V.G. Raju. He has served as a legislator between 1977 and 2004.

He faced defeat in the 2004 Assembly elections. Having started his political career in the Janata Party, Mr. Ashok joined the TDP on a call given by TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao.

He has held several portfolios as Minister such as Commercial Tax, Excise, Legislative Affairs, Finance, Planning and Revenue. After winning as an MP from Vizianagaram in 2014, he became the Union Minister for Civil Aviation in the Narendra Modi government.

However, he resigned from the post when the TDP walked out of the NDA prior to the 2019 general elections, over the Special Category Status for the State and other issues.

However, the TDP joined the NDA again before the 2024 general elections.

Mr. Ashok and Ms. Aditi Vijayalakshmi distributed books to students of various schools at Dharmapuri village of Vizianagaram mandal on Monday.

Rajam MLA Kondru Muralimohan, S.Kota legislator Kolla Lalithakumari and others congratulated him.

TDP general secretary I.V.B.P. Raju, Vizianagaram city president Prasadula Lakshmi Prasad, party senior leaders K. Murali Mohan, Karrothu Narasinga Rao and others congratulated Mr. Ashok.