New Delhi: In a significant development, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dr Dinesh Sharma was on Saturday appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
“The President of India is pleased to appoint Dr Dinesh Sharma as Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a communique issued late Saturday night.
He will replace Admiral (Retd) Devendra Kumar Joshi, who has been serving as the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands since October 2017.
The 62-year-old Dinesh Sharma is a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and currently serves as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2017 to 2022 alongside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and was succeeded by Brajesh Pathak. He is also a Vice-Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
It may be noted that Sharma has been a Rajya Sabha MP since September 9, 2023, after being elected unopposed in a by-election following the death of sitting MP Hardwar Dubey. As he was elected through a by-election, he was serving only the remaining term of the seat, which was scheduled to end on November 25, 2026.
Prior to joining the Uttar Pradesh government, Sharma served as the Mayor of Lucknow. Within the BJP, he has held several key organisational positions, including National Vice President and Gujarat in-charge. He also has an academic background and has worked as a professor at the University of Lucknow.
Currently, Admiral (Retd) Devendra Kumar Joshi has been serving as the Lieutenant Governor since October 2017. The appointment of Sharma will mark a change in the leadership of the island territory, and he is expected to take charge of his new assignment soon.
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