Had no idea about appointment as Telangana Guv before PM called: Jishnu Dev

Tripura's former deputy CM Jishnu Dev Varma said he had no idea that he would be appointed the new governor of Telangana before he received back-to-back calls from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the CM of that state Revanth Reddy just ahead of the announcement.

Dev Varma, who lost the assembly election last year from Charilam in Sepahijala district, said he was the first person from Tripura to be appointed the governor of a state.

"I was not aware of my appointment as the new governor of Telangana before PM Modi first called me on Saturday night. He told me that I have to work outside Tripura and I said that I was ready to perform whatever responsibility is given to me," the BJP leader told reporters on Sunday.

"Soon after, I received another call from Telangana CM Revanth Reddy who told me 'welcome to Telangana', and it was at that time I realised that I was going to Telangana as its new governor," he added.

Dev Varma said he would reach Telangana on July 31 and take oath as its