President accepts Najeeb Jung's resignation, appoints Anil Baijal as new Delhi LG

Anil Baijal`s appointment comes a week after Najeeb Jung suddenly resigned on December 22, taking everyone by surprise.

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday accepted Lt Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung`s resignation and appointed Anil Baijal as his successor.

"The President has been pleased to appoint Anil Baijal to be the Lt Governor of National Capital Territory of Delhi with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office," an official statement said.

70-year-old Baijal, a 1969 batch IAS officer, had served as Union Home Secretary under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government besides holding key positions in other ministries.

Baijal`s appointment comes a week after Jung suddenly resigned on December 22, taking everyone by surprise.

Baijal had retired from service in 2006 as Secretary, Urban Development Ministry. He is a former vice chairman of Delhi Development Authority.

Baijal was actively associated with the designing and roll-out of Rs 60,000 crore Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) launched by the Manmohan Singh government.

The former bureaucrat was also on the executive council of the think-tank Vivekananda International Foundation, several of whose former members have been appointed to senior positions by the Modi government including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Jung had submitted his resignation on December 22, ending a nearly three-and-half-year-long eventful tenure, mostly marked by bitter confrontation with AAP government.

(With Agency inputs)