Ramesh Bais (born 2 August 1947) is an Indian politician and was the governor of Maharashtra from 2023 to 2024. He also served as the governor of Jharkhand from 2021 to 2023 and the governor of Tripura from 2019 to 2021.[1] He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and has served as union minister of state (Independent Charge) for environment and forests in the government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Bais has been elected seven times to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, representing the Raipur constituency, including serving as a member of the 9th Lok Sabha (1989) and 11th to 16th Lok Sabha (1996–2019).

Ramesh Bais
Ramesh Bais in 2024
23rd Governor of Maharashtra
In office
18 February 2023 – 31 July 2024
Chief MinisterEknath Shinde
Deputy Chief Ministers
Preceded byBhagat Singh Koshyari
Succeeded byC. P. Radhakrishnan
9th Governor of Jharkhand
In office
14 July 2021 – 12 February 2023
Chief MinisterHemant Soren
Preceded byDroupadi Murmu
Succeeded byC. P. Radhakrishnan
18th Governor of Tripura
In office
29 July 2019 – 13 July 2021
Chief MinisterBiplab Kumar Deb
Deputy CMJishnu Dev Varma
Preceded byKaptan Singh Solanki
Succeeded bySatyadev Narayan Arya
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
1996–2019
Preceded byVidya Charan Shukla
Succeeded bySunil Kumar Soni
ConstituencyRaipur, Chhattisgarh
In office
1989–1991
Preceded byKeyur Bhushan
Succeeded byVidya Charan Shukla
ConstituencyRaipur, Madhya Pradesh
Union Minister of Environment & Forests
MoS Independent Charge
In office
9 January 2004 – 23 May 2004
Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee
Preceded byT. R. Baalu
Succeeded byAndimuthu Raja
Union Minister of Mines Government of India
MoS Independent Charge
In office
29 January 2003 – 8 January 2004
Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee
Preceded byUma Bharti
Succeeded byMamata Banerjee
Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Government of India
In office
30 September 2000 – 28 January 2003
Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee
Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Government of India
In office
13 October 1999 – 30 September 2000
Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee
Union Minister of State for Steel and Mines Government of India
In office
March 1998 – October 1999
Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee
Personal details
Born (1947-08-02) 2 August 1947 (age 77)
Raipur, Central Provinces and Berar, British India
(now in Chhattisgarh, India)
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party
SpouseRambai Bais
Children3
Residences
Websiterajbhavan-maharashtra.gov.in

Personal life

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Bais was born on 2 August 1947 in Raipur, Central Provinces and Berar, British India (now in Chhattisgarh, India) to Khomlal Bais. He completed his Higher Secondary education from B.S.E., Bhopal. He married Rambai Bais on 1 May 1968. They have a son and two daughters. Bais is an agriculturist by profession.[2][3]

Political career

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Bais was first elected to Municipal Corporation of Raipur in 1978. He won 1980 MP Assembly election from Mandir Hasod Constituency but lost 1985 Assembly election to his Congress rival Satyanarayan Sharma. He was elected for the first time to the Indian parliament as a member of the 9th Lok Sabha from Raipur in 1989 and was re-elected consecutively from 1996 to 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th Lok Sabha.

Positions held

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State level

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  • 1978: Councillor, Municipal Corporation, Raipur
  • 1980-85: Member, Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly
  • 1980-82: Member, Estimates Committee, Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly
  • 1982-85 : Member, Library Committee, Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly
  • 1982-88 : Pradesh Mantri, Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P.), Madhya Pradesh

National level

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  • 1989 : Elected to 9th Lok Sabha
  • 1989-90 & 1994–96 : Vice-President, B.J.P., Madhya Pradesh
  • 1990-97 : Member, Public Accounts Committee Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Steel and Mines
  • 1993 onwards : Member, National Executive, B.J.P.
  • 1994 onwards : Member, Executive Committee, B.J.P., Madhya Pradesh
  • 1996 : Elected to 11th Lok Sabha (2nd term)
    • Member, Committee on Agriculture
    • Member, Committee on Petitions
    • Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Industry
  • 1998 : Elected to 12th Lok Sabha (3rd term)

Union Minister

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Served as Union Minister of State in Second and Third Vajpayee ministry holding various portfolios such as Steel, Mines, Chemicals and Fertilizers, Information and Broadcasting, and also Minister of State (Independent charge) for Mines and Environment & Forests.

  • 1998-99 : Union Minister of State, Steel and Mines
  • 1999 : Elected to 13th Lok Sabha (4th term)
  • 13 October 1999 - 30 September 2000: Union Minister of State, Chemicals and Fertilizers
  • 30 September 2000 - 29 January 2003: Union Minister of State, Information and Broadcasting
  • 29 January 2003 - 8 January 2004: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Mines
  • 9 January 2004 - May 2004 : Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Environment & Forests
  • 2004 : Elected to 14th Lok Sabha (5th term)
    • Member, Committee on Petroleum & Natural Gas
    • Member, Committee on Public Accounts
    • Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Power
    • Member, Hindi Salahakar Samiti, Ministry of Coal and Mines
  • 5 August 2007 onwards : Member, Committee on Petroleum & Natural Gas
  • 1 May 2008 : Member, Committee on Public Undertakings
  • 2009 : Elected to 15th Lok Sabha (6th term)
  • 2009-2014 : Chief whip in Lok Sabha (BJP)
  • 6 August 2009 : Member, Committee on Public Undertakings
  • 31 August 2009 : Member, Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas
  • 23 September 2009 : Member, Rules Committee
  • 1 May 2010 : Member, Committee on Public Undertakings
  • 2014 : Elected to 16th Lok Sabha (7th term)
  • Sep. 2014 - May 2019 : Appointed Chairman, Standing Committee on Social Justice & Empowerment

Governor

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Tenure as governor

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As the 10th Governor of Jharkhand, Bais had several noticeable tensions with the state government led by Hemant Soren during his tenure.[7] One of the most prominent issues was his failure to disclose the Election Commission's recommendation on Soren's continuation as MLA over a mining case.[8] Bais also criticised the work culture in Jharkhand and flagged law and order as a significant problem. He returned several bills to the state government citing various loopholes, including bills passed by the government under the leadership of Hemant Soren, and the formation of the Tribal Advisory Council. Bais claimed he works according to the Constitution for the betterment of the state and stated that his successor would decide the fate of pending Bills and unfinished issues.[9][10]

References

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  1. ^ Das, Pinaki (13 July 2021). "Tripura On Road To Development, Says Outgoing Governor Ramesh Bais". Outlook. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Current Lok Sabha Members Biographical Sketch". 5 September 2004. Archived from the original on 5 September 2004. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Rajbhawan". rajbhavanjharkhand.nic.in. Archived from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  4. ^ Sarkar, Ipsita (20 July 2019). "Centre appoints new Governors in 6 states, Anandiben Patel transferred to UP". Zee News. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Ramesh Bais takes oath as Jharkhand Governor". The Hindu. PTI. 14 July 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Ramesh Bais to take over as Maharashtra Governor as Prez accepts Koshyari's resignation". Deccan Herald. 12 February 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Amit Shah, Jharkhand Governor discuss state issues amid corruption charges against Soren government". ANI News. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Ramesh Bais leaves behind legacy of political showdowns in Jharkhand". The Economic Times. IANS. 12 February 2023. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  9. ^ Angad, Abhishek (15 February 2023). "Ramesh Bais: Did not want to destabilise Jharkhand govt, so didn't share EC opinion in Soren matter". The Indian Express. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  10. ^ "No end in sight to tug-of-war between Jharkhand Governor, Soren govt". Business Standard. IANS. 23 October 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
Lok Sabha
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Raipur

1989 – 1991
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Raipur

1996 – 2019
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Tripura
29 July 2019 – 6 July 2021
Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Jharkhand
7 July 2021 – 17 February 2023
Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Maharashtra
18 February 2023 - present
Incumbent
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