Vajubhai Vala had second-longest tenure as Governor of Karnataka

Vajubhai Vala served as Governor of Karnataka for six years and 10 months.

Outgoing Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, who served as the first citizen of the State for six years and 10 months (2014-21), is the second-longest serving person in the post in Karnataka. Thaawarchand Gehlot was appointed to succeed him as the 19th Governor on Saturday.

Khurshed Alam Khan (1991-99) served as the longest Governor of Karnataka, completing eight years and 11 months. Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, the last king of the Mysore province, served as the longest governor of the erstwhile Mysore State, between 1956-65.

Though the Governor was appointed for a five-year period, Mr. Vala continued in the post after the Narendra Modi-led government retained power at the Centre in 2019. Mr. Vala served as Governor during the Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah, the JD(S)-Congress coalition government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy, and the present BJP government led by B.S. Yediyurappa.

Controversy

Mr. Vala courted controversy after the 2018 State Assembly elections. After the fractured mandate, he invited the single largest party, which was the BJP (104), to form the government instead of the largest post-poll alliance comprising the Congress and the JD(S).

Mr. Vala gave the new Chief Ministe, Mr. Yediyurappa, an 18-day period to prove his majority in the Lower House. Both the Congress and the JD(S) approached the Supreme Court and the court shortened the period from 18 days to three days and mandated that the House proceedings, including voting, should be telecast live. Mr. Yediyurappa announced his decision to resign in the House, stating that he could not prove majority. He was Chief Minister for just two days.

Later, Mr. Vala invited alliance leader Mr. Kumaraswamy to form the government. The coalition government lasted just over a year and fell in July 2019 following the defection of 14 Congress and three JD(S) MLAs. Again, Mr. Yediyurappa was sworn in as Chief Minister and has continued in office since.

Ordinances

Mr. Vala gave approval to many Ordinances promulgated by the BJP government during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike some previous Governors, he attended only a select few public functions and had limited media interaction.

On Tuesday, Mr. Vala laid the foundation stone to the new building of the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka, Nirvachana Nilaya, through virtual mode from the Raj Bhavan.