New Delhi: The Centre has unflinchingly licked up the egg splashed on its face by Karnataka governor Vajubhai Vala and chosen two dyed-in-the-wool BJP politicians for the Raj Bhavans in Odisha and Mizoram.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday appointed Kerala BJP chief Kummanam Rajasekharan and Haryana BJP politician Ganeshi Lal as the governors of Mizoram and Odisha, respectively.

The elevation of Rajasekharan is being seen as an effort by the BJP to make inroads into Kerala. The immediate spur appeared to be the by-election in Chengannur in central Kerala on May 28.

Mizoram is the only northeastern state that has a Congress government. BJP president Amit Shah had recently sounded the bugle from Guwahati by saying the Northeast would be "Congress- mukt" after the Mizoram polls, scheduled later this year.

The appointment of a lesser-known Haryana politician, Lal, as governor of the politically important state of Odisha has surprised many.

Lal now heads the central party's disciplinary committee. He was a minister in the Bansi Lal government in Haryana in which the BJP was a partner.

"Many, many thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modiji for giving respect to a person from a very small family. Thanks to BJP chief Amit Shahji, Haryana CM Khattarji," Lal told The Telegraph, appearing overwhelmed and surprised by the appointment.

The choice of politicians from the party organisation stands out at a time Karnataka governor Vala has drawn scorn for his controversial decision to grant 15 days to a BJP leader to form the government, a window the Supreme Court cut short.

Many in the BJP privately accuse Vala, who had vacated his Assembly seat for Narendra Modi when the latter was Gujarat chief minister, of costing them power in Karnataka. But the new appointments suggest the leadership has done the cost-benefit analysis using different yardsticks.