Mumbai, Feb 17 (IANS): The newly-designated Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais will take the oath of office at the Raj Bhavan here on February 18, an official said on Friday.

Bais, 75, is the Governor of Jharkhand and has been transferred to Maharashtra by President Draupadi Murmu, in a major gubernatorial reshuffle effected last Sunday.

The President also accepted the resignation of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari (80), who has opted for a life of retirement, reading and writing in his home state Uttarakhand - where he had a long and illustrious career as lecturer, journalist, author besides serving as the CM in 2001-2002, and then Leader of Opposition from 2002-2007.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis on Friday morning paid a farewell visit to Koshyari at Raj Bhavan, a day before he demits the office to which he was appointed in September 2019.

Shinde-Fadnavis felicitated Koshyari with flowers, shawls, and gave him gifts of a decorative photo frame of the famed Sri Kedarnathji Temple, and statues of Lord Krishna and Lord Hanuman.

Koshyari went and prayed at the temples of Goddess Mumbadevi and Shri Babulnath in south Mumbai earlier in the day.

On Friday, the Raj Bhavan staff accorded a fond farewell to the outgoing Governor and Koshyari received a stream of visitors who came to bid him goodbye.

Later this afternoon, Koshyari will be accorded a ceremonial send-off with a guard of honour by the Indian Navy before he flies to Dehradun.