Ashok Gajapathi Raju, a prominent leader of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and former Union Minister for Civil Aviation, has been appointed as the 20th Governor of Goa. This appointment, announced on July 14, 2025, is noteworthy as it marks the first time in over a decade that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has appointed a non-BJP ally to a gubernatorial position.
Raju’s political journey began in 1978 when he assumed the role of hereditary chairman of the Simhachalam Temple in Vizianagaram. Over the years, he has held various significant positions, including serving as a Member of Parliament for the Vizianagaram constituency and holding multiple ministerial portfolios in the Andhra Pradesh state government. In 2014, he was appointed as the Union Minister for Civil Aviation. However, he resigned from his ministerial post in March 2018 after the TDP withdrew from the NDA alliance.
Following his appointment as Goa’s Governor, Raju formally resigned from the TDP, adhering to constitutional norms. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central leaders for the honor and reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the pride of the Telugu people.
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