Bhardwaj replaces Rameshwar Thakur as the Governor of Karnataka. The latter stepped down from the post on Sunday to take over as the Governor of Madhya Pradesh. The appointment of Bhardwaj, a Congress loyalist to the position, has been widely seen as an effort by the UPA Government to keep a tighter watch on the functioning of the BJP in the state. While assuring that he would not function in a partisan manner, the governor for his part, refused to be made to appear like a controversial figure.