Explained: Raj Bhavans across the country should become ‘Lok Bhavans’, how will Governor-CM tension end in opposition states, what is the intention of BJP?

In the last 11 years, the BJP government changed the names of hundreds of cities. Allahabad was changed to Prayagraj and Hoshangabad was changed to Narmadapuram. The politics of name change does not end only with cities, because now the time has come to change the name of the highest government residence of the state ‘Raj Bhavan’. Now 28 Raj Bhavans across the country will be known as ‘Lok Bhavan’.‘ will be said. It started from West Bengal. In ABP Explainer, let us understand what will change by changing the name of Raj Bhavan, what is the strategy of BJP behind it and what has been the history of Raj Bhavan…

Question 1- By changing the names of Raj Bhavans’Lok Bhavan‘What is the whole matter of keeping?
answer- On 25 November 2025, the Union Home Ministry had written a letter to the Governors of all the states saying that the Raj Bhavan ‘Lok Bhavan‘And of the Union Territories royal residence To ‘public residence‘Give names. The ministry had said that the Governor himself Notification Release it and it will be implemented gradually. Till December 1, 4 states i.e. West Bengal, Assam, Tripura And it has been officially implemented in Kerala. at other places planning going on, but Notification or board Change Didn’t happen.

• West Bengal: First implemented here. On 29 November 2025, Governor C. VPleasure boss Kolkata Raj Bhavan, Darjeeling Raj Bhavan and Barrackpore flagstaff Changing the name of the house’Lok Bhavan‘Did it. boss He himself removed the old board and installed a new one. Notification Has been issued with immediate effect.
• Kerala: From December 1, 2025, Raj Bhavan will be officiallyLok Bhavan‘Did it. Governor Rajendra Arlekar on 30 November Notification was issued, i.e. Thiruvananthapuram Raj Bhawan now’Lok Bhavanwill be called ‘Kerala’. Arlekar by 2024 Governors conference I was the one who suggested this.
• Tripura, Governor indrasena Reddy Nallu announced on 30 November that Agartala Raj Bhavan now’Lok Bhavan‘ will be. Notification Has become effective from 1st December.
• Assam: On November 28, Governor Laxman Acharya Notification Release the name of Raj Bhavan’Lok Bhavan‘ announced.

It will gradually be implemented in the remaining 24 states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The Home Ministry wants to change the names of as many Raj Bhavans as possible by the end of December.

Question 2- Name of Raj Bhavan’Lok Bhavan‘What will change after this?
answer- this change center Sarkar one of circular starting from Huasha But in every state the Governor himself is implementing…

• Governor’s Notification After address will change (e.g. Lok BhavanKerala). letterheadwebsite and social media Update Will be. Tripura It was said that all the papers and sign boards will also be changed.
• The Governor himself will perform the function, so that people can be connected himself. The Home Ministry will check how many states are implementing it.
• The biggest ground change is that now people Lok Bhavan Will be able to go in. Earlier, when I heard Raj Bhavan, I used to get scared that it was like a king’s palace, but now Lok Bhavan People’s houses will be built.
• constitutional sights More accessible Will be. But security Because of this it will not open completely.
• Common citizens will be able to meet the Governor for hours and get their complaints written down. The work of the governors will also change slightly, that is, they will run the complaint committee themselves.

Question 3- Why did the renaming of Raj Bhavan start from West Bengal only?
answer- experts According to, starting from Bengal because 2026 elections are near. TMC Said, ‘of the entire country Notificationbut why Bengal first? electoral gimmickBJP it transformational leadership She is telling. Governor boss the President Draupadi Murmu The ‘key handing over’ event of 2023 has been added. President Draupadi Murmu Mamta Banerjee Was given the keys of Raj Bhavan, so that this place remains open for the common people.

If it is successful, governors in opposition states will become local heroes, thereby attracting votes. shift Will be. But if complaints unsolved if yes, then backlash will be. As Stalin made it show off Said. Overall this political move Which will affect the elections to be held in 2026-27.

Question 4- ,Lok Bhavan, What is the real politics of BJP behind the name?
answer- political experts According to , on the surface this change of name seems to be just a game of board or paper, but the ground reality is something else because BJP does not take any decision just like that. In fact, BJP’s strategy is not only an attempt to make governors the ‘face of the people’ in the name of ‘developed India’, but it is also a weapon to strengthen the Centre’s hold in the opposition states…

1. To make governors friends of the people strategy

• ,Lok BhavanBy name the Governor will now call himself the guardian of democracy and not of the Centre. angeletWest Bengal Governor C, VPleasure boss has 29 november ‘Lok Charcha’ program was started in 2025 itself, where every week villages In People will be able to go and present their complaints. boss Said, ‘This building will no longer be a door of fear, but of hope. Immediate help will be provided on complaints of violence, floods or atrocities.
• Assam Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya also said on 29 November that Lok Bhavan Transparency will increase in Assam and public service will get new energy.
• Tripura Governor of Nallu announced to allow common people to meet during open hours from December 1, so that the old ‘King’s Palace’ Image Be broken.
• Earlier Raj Bhavan was a distant dream, where appointment It was difficult to enter without. Now More than 300 people went without water in Kolkata in the first week itself. Gate Came nearby and expressed his complaints. Ladakh In Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta 30 november said, ‘This People’s centric governance Is.’ But the reality is that this change is only minor. Will remain.
• Governor The constitutional power to stop a bill will remain the same. So it’s okay to listen to complaints Yes, but what about the implementation? They at the discretion of the center depend Will do. actually this local level But the governors Popularity will increase, like boss ‘Heroes’ are being made in Bengal.

2. Centre-State Tension new weapon in

• This change will happen in 2024 Governors conference came from, where Tamil Nadu Governor of R, nRavi’s committee suggested making the governors the ‘public face’ by changing their names, But the ground truth is that Tripura And like Assam It went smoothly in the BJP state, but in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Like in the opposition states it is the Centre’sinterference‘ It seems. TMC Of Kunal Ghosh said on November 30, ‘The state Sarkar Changed name without asking, who parallel Administration There is a conspiracy to run.
• Tamil Nadu CM M.K, Stalin on 30 November X But wrote, ‘What will happen if the name is changed? mindset change. Respect the Assembly, Bill Don’t Stop.’
• 1 Kerala on December CM pinarai Vijayan Said, ‘This is a show, where is the real federalism. This change in reality Governor-CM Will provoke conflict. social it’s on the media debate It is also being said that the Governor will now become the Lokpal.

3. Change in the roots of democracy

• Home Ministry’s 25th November memo It is clearly written, ‘This name change will increase the participation of democracy, constitutional sights More publicly accessible Will happen. But if you look at it from a political point of view, it isde-colonial ,colonial It is an excuse to ‘remove’. Earlier, hearing ‘Raj Bhavan’ reminded me of the British Raj, now Lok Bhavan From the Governor himself People’s representative Will tell, which matches the spirit of the Constitution.
• But in reality the Governor is appointed by the Central Government, so this name get changed Can weaken federalism.
• in the long run it institutional culture will change, but cultural events and open meetings People will join. This change has come in Kerala after 7 decades, which People’s Will bring homely thoughts. But if the Governor continues to stop the bill, then the benefit of the name Reverse Will have to. Overall, this change is an opportunity to strengthen democracy, but Centralization There is also a danger of.

Question 5- Why is the residence of the Governor in India called Raj Bhavan, what is the history?
answer- Raj Bhavan in India started in the 18th-19th century. When East When the India Company created large provinces in India, each province had its own Governor Or Lieutenant Governor to grand palatial Houses were given. these houses in english ,Government House, Was called. But in colloquial speech and official papers it was also written as Raj Bhavan because the whole of India was called British Raj at that time.

1After independence in 947, the provinces were made states. British Governor Indian instead of Governor Have come. But They Grand British era palaces were already built, it was very expensive and wasteful to demolish them or build new ones. Therefore, the old Government House itself was made the official residence of the Governor and the name was also kept the same. ,Raj Bhavan,Although, ,Rule, use of word ,state house, Which means the tallest government building of that state government. Even in the 1950 Constitution, it was written as Raj Bhavan. From then till today it has been called Raj Bhavan.