Governor-designate Ved Prakash Marwah

Ranchi, May 14 : Jharkhand got its third Governor within a span of two-and-half years yesterday. While Prabhat Kumar, the first occupant of Raj Bhavan was a career diplomat, his successor M. Rama Jois was a retired High Court Chief Justice. The third Governor, Ved Prakash Marwah, is a former IPS officer and an expert on “terrorism”.

Governor-designate Marwah steps in at a time when extremism is at its peak with the tribals demanding a greater say in the state polity.

Seventy-one-year-old Marwah , a recipient of the Padmashree award and the former Manipur Governor, will replace Jois, who has been shifted to Bihar in yesterday’s reshuffle. Jois is expected to take oath in Bihar in the first week of June after which Marwah is likely to come to Ranchi, sources close to the Governor said. According to them, the Governor will have his hands full for the JMM has already announced its plan to hold dharnas in every district headquarters on May 20 to press for the demand to fill up the vacant post of teachers exclusively by “local” peoples. The party has already demanded fixing 1932 as the cut-off year to distinguish between insiders and outsiders.

On the other hand, a section of the Congress, along with the newly-created Jharkhand Front and the Adivasi Janadhikar Manch, has called a statewide bandh on May 26 and 27 respectively to prevent the state government from conducting the written tests for the post of teachers. The parties have been demanding cent per cent job reservation for tribals.

The new Governor would also have to deal with the growing extremist menace in the state where at least19 of the 22 districts are under the influence of the Maoist Communist Centre and the People’s War.

To add to the problem is the increasing turmoil in the Arjun Munda ministry with even BJP ministers now clamouring for a bigger share of the pie. Many party hopefuls are demanding berths in the Cabinet. Sources said Marwah, a veteran policeman, who led many counter-insurgency operations during his heydays, might be able to provide useful tips on tackling the rebels.