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Mumbai: Former Union Minister of State for Home Shri Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao took oath as the new Governor of Maharashtra at a brief swearing-in ceremony held at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai.

Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Justice Mohit Shah administered the oath of office to Ch. Vidyasagar Rao.  Chief Secretary Swadheen Kshatriya read out the warrant of appointment of Shri Rao issued by the President of India. Soon after being sworn in as Governor, Ch Vidyasagar Rao was presented a Ceremonial Guard of Honour by the Indian Navy.

Smt Vinoda Rao, wife of Ch. Vidyasagar Rao, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Union Minister for Transport and Rural Development Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises Anant Geete, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Vinod Tawde, Ministers from Maharashtra Chhagan Bhujbal, Harshvardhan Patil and Suresh Shetty, senior BJP leaders Vijay Goel, Kirit Somaiya, Bandaru Dattatreya, State President of Telangana BJP Kishan Reddy, former MP Janga Reddy, Krishnam Raju, judges of the Bombay High Court, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Naval Command Admiral Anil Chopra and senior government officials were present on the occasion.

The post of Governor of Maharashtra had fallen vacant following the resignation of K. Sankaranarayanan on 24th August. Shri Om Prakash Kohli, Governor of Gujarat was holding the additional charge of the post of Governor of Maharashtra. Shri CH Vidyasagar Rao who took charge as Governor of Maharashtra brings with him a vast and varied experience in public life.   A senior BJP leader from Telangana, Shri Vidyasagar Rao has served as Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and subsequently as Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry in the government led by Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee from 1999 – 2004.

Shri Vidyasagar Rao was elected to the 12th Lok Sabha from Karimnagar constituency in 1998 for the first time.  In the year 1999, he was elected as President of the State unit of the BJP.  He was re-elected to the 13th Lok Sabha in the year 1999. During his illustrious Parliamentary career, he served as Member of the Committee on Public Accounts, Member of the Business Advisory Committee and as Member of the Committee on Finance. He was also a Member of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Prior to becoming a Member of Parliament, he was elected thrice to the Legislative Assembly of undivided Andhra Pradesh in 1985, 1989 and 1994 from Metpalli assembly constituency in Karimnagar district. He was the Floor leader of BJP in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly for three consecutive terms.

Born on 12th February 1942, Shri Vidyasagar Rao was an activist of the RSS since childhood. After obtaining B.Sc., he secured LLB from the Law College of Osmania University where he was also elected as President of the Students’ Union. He was actively associated with the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Shri Vidyasagar Rao started law practice in Karimnagar in the year 1973. During the state of Emergency in the year 1975, he was imprisoned under MISA for one year in the Central Prison, Warangal district. He also served as President of Jansangh and as President of Janata Party, Karimnagar district.