President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday appointed Banwarilal Purohit the new governor of Tamil Nadu, ANI reported. Purohit is currently the governor of Assam. Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao was holding the additional responsibility of Tamil Nadu till now.

Purohit’s appointment assumes significance in view of the ongoing political turmoil in Tamil Nadu between the two factions of the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

The president appointed four other new governors. Brigadier (Retired) Dr BD Mishra, former commander of the National Security Guard, was made the governor of Arunachal Pradesh. As the governor’s post fell vacant in Bihar after incumbent Kovind was elected the president of India, Satya Pal Malik was appointed to the post on Saturday.

The governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Professor Jagdish Mukhi, was appointed the governor of Assam. Mukhi, a BJP leader, is the former minister of finance, planning, excise and taxation and higher education in the Delhi government. He has led the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly for over 10 years.

Ganga Prasad was named the governor of Meghalaya. Kovind also named Admiral (Retired) Devendra Kumar Joshi the new lieutenant governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.