LUCKNOW, April 20: Suraj Bhan was today sworn in as the 19th Governor of Uttar Pradesh. The Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, Justice D P Mahapatra administered the oath of office and secrecy.Seventy-year-old Bhan succeeds the controversial Romesh Bhandari who resigned soon after the Vajpayee Government took the reins. A list containing his name was sent by the Home Ministry to the Prime Minister's office on Thursday evening.Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, his cabinet colleagues, senior state BJP leaders and top government officials attended the ceremony.But surprisingly the swearing-in ceremony of former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Bhan was boycotted by all Opposition parties. Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj party and the Congress were conspicuous by their absence.It may be mentioned here that the Samajwadi Janata Party general secretary Satya Prakash Malaviya, on Saturday, had termed Bhan's appointment as Uttar Pradesh Governor against the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission.TheCommission had said that the dignity of the Governor's office suffered when persons defeated in elections were appointed. And the Administrative Reforms Commission was also of the same opinion, he added. Bhan was defeated as the BJP candidate in the recently held Lok Sabha elections from the Ambala constituency of Haryana.Later addressing mediapersons, he promised to maintain the dignity of the office by always remaining above party politics. He would not like to be mired in any controversy, he asserted. He also assured that the Raj Bhavan will remain free of party politics.Bhan, however, refused to comment on the functioning of his immediate predecessor saying he would concentrate and discharge his duties faithfully.Expressing concern over the State's declining forest cover, he said the District Magistrate, instrumental in maximum plantations, would be awarded. The state had only 17 per cent forest cover against the required 37 per cent, he added. Himself a Dalit from Haryana's Yamuna Nagardistrict, he promised to work for the upliftment of Dalits.Earlier in an informal talk with newspersons, Chief Minister Kalyan Singh said with Bhan as Governor there would be cordial relations between the Government and the Governor. He rapped Bhandari for acting in partition manner.Singh also said that all transfers would be completed by April 30. While the ministers have been told to complete transfers in their ministries by May 15, Kalyan Singh said the ministers still without portfolios would get one soon.
