According to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique, Naik will take over in Uttar Pradesh after B L Joshi, perceived to be a close confidante of Gandhi family, was asked to tender his resignation. Joshi was the first Governor who tendered his resignation after the Modi Government came to power on June 17 this year.
A three-time Parliamentarian, 80-year-old Naik has the rare distinction of being the only Minister who completed five years as Petroleum and Natural gas minister in one government.
78-year-old Kohli, who was a Rajya Sabha member from 1994 to 2000, takes over as Governor in Gujarat after 87-year-old Kamla Beniwal was shifted to Mizoram by the Government for remainder of her term till November this year.
A former Chief of BJP's Delhi unit in 2009, Kohli has been associated with BJP since his student days and was President of its student wing -- ABVP -- and later became Chief of Delhi University Teacher Association.