Biswabhusan Harichandan takes oath as new Andhra Pradesh governor

AMRAVATI: BJP leader Biswabhusan Harichandan on Wednesday took oath as the new Governor of Andhra Pradesh.nnActing Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court Justice C Praveen Kumar administered the oath of office to the Governor at a function at the temporary Raj Bhavan in Vijayawada.nnThe premises that was previously used as the Chief Minister’s Camp Office has been converted into the Raj Bhavan for the new Governor.nnHarichandan is the second Governor and the first one to be appointed exclusively for the state after the bifurcation in June 2014.nnChief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, his Cabinet colleagues, legislators, Chief Secretary L V Subrahmanyam and senior bureaucrats attended the swearing-in ceremony.nnHarichandan, 85, hails from a family of freedom fighters in Odisha.nnHe began his career as a lawyer in the Odisha High Court in 1961 and joined the then Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1971.nnHe joined the BJP in 1980 when it was founded and became the president of the Odisha state unit.nnHarichandan also served in the BJP National Executive.nnDuring Emergency, he was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) in 1975 as he fought against suppression of judges in the Supreme Court.nnIn 1977, Harichandan was elected to the Odisha Assembly for the first time and became a Cabinet minister for law.nnHe also held various other portfolios as minister in the Odisha Cabinet.nnHarichandan is a prolific writer whose articles on various issues have been published in newspapers in Odisha.nnHe has published books like Marubatash (six one-act plays), Mahasangramar Mahanayak, Buxi Jagabandhu, Paika Mutiny and his autobiography Sangar Sarinahin.