New Delhi, Sept. 12: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are set for a change in administrative leadership as senior BJP leader Dinesh Sharma prepares to assume charge as Lieutenant Governor after resigning from the Rajya Sabha on September 11.
Sharma submitted his resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, who accepted it, clearing the way for his transition to the Union Territory administration. The President’s appointment of Sharma as Lieutenant Governor, announced earlier this month, will take effect from the date he assumes office.
Sharma, who represented Uttar Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha, is expected to take charge shortly. His appointment comes as Admiral (Retd) Devendra Kumar Joshi, who has served as Lieutenant Governor since October 2017, completes his tenure in the Union Territory.
The Lieutenant Governor heads the administration of the strategically important Union Territory in the Bay of Bengal and serves as its constitutional head. The office oversees governance and development, with responsibilities spanning areas including security, tourism, infrastructure and environmental conservation, according to the material accompanying the appointment.
In his response to the appointment, Sharma expressed gratitude to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP’s central leadership. He said the assignment represented a responsibility towards the Constitution, the nation and public service and pledged to discharge it with devotion, honesty and dedication.
Sharma brings administrative, political and academic experience to the new assignment. He served as Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2017 to 2022 in the Yogi Adityanath government, holding portfolios including higher education, technical education, science and technology, and information technology.
Before entering the state government, Sharma served as Mayor of Lucknow for two terms. He was first elected in 2006 and returned to the post in 2012, when he won by a record margin.
Born in Lucknow on January 12, 1964, Sharma has also remained associated with academia. He has been a professor of commerce at the University of Lucknow since the early 1990s and has guided numerous research scholars while continuing his academic association.
His public career began through student organisations before he moved through the BJP’s youth wing and later held key organisational positions within the party.
The change in Raj Bhavan leadership will bring Sharma into an administration responsible for a geographically dispersed Union Territory with significant responsibilities in governance, development, security, tourism, infrastructure and environmental conservation.
With his Rajya Sabha resignation accepted, Sharma’s appointment as Lieutenant Governor will formally take effect when he assumes charge of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration.
