Former Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik was on Thursday sworn in as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir, replacing NN Vohra. Malik was administered the oath by Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Gita Mittal.

Malik is a former Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2004, according to the Hindustan Times. He was a BJP vice president until being named governor of Bihar in September 2017. Senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon will replace Malik as the governor of the state.

Malik, the first career politician to become the governor of Jammu and Kashmir since 1967, told The Times of India earlier that his top priority will be to carry out the mandate of the Narendra Modi-led government in Jammu and Kashmir. He said he wanted to “win the hearts of the people of Jammu and Kashmir”.

The state has been under Governor’s Rule since June 20 after the Bharatiya Janata Party ended its coalition government with former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party, allegedly because of security concerns and rising terrorism in the state.

President Ram Nath Kovind approved Malik’s appointment on Tuesday.