Ramesh Bais (born 2 August 1947) is an Indian politician who served as the 20th Governor of Maharashtra from 2023 to 2024. A senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Bais has held a positions including, Governor of Jharkhand and Tripura, and served as a Union Minister in the government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was a seven-term member of the Lok Sabha, representing the Raipur constituency.
Personal life
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.
Political career
Bais was first elected to Municipal Corporation of Raipur in 1978. He won 1980 MP Assembly election from Mandirhasod 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
Sources
State level
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
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
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
July, 2019 – July 2021 : Appointed the 15th Governor of Tripura 14 July 2021 – 12 February 2023 : Appointed the 9th Governor of Jharkhand 12 February : Appointed the 20th Governor of Maharashtra by the President of India in February 2023 following the resignation of the preceding governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
Tenure as governor
As the 9th Governor of Jharkhand, Bais had several noticeable tensions with the state government led by Hemant Soren during his tenure. 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. 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.
References
External links
Home Page on the Parliament of India's Website