Former Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna was on Saturday appointed as the governor of Maharashtra.

Krishna will replace Mohammad Fazal, who completed his tenure on Friday, a Rashtrapati Bhawan spokesperson told PTI.

"On [the] expiry of the term of the Maharashtra Governor, Mohammad Fazal, President A P J Abdul Kalam is pleased to appoint S M Krishna as the governor of the state with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office," he said.

Krishna is the second former chief minister of Congress to be made governor. Earlier, Sushil Kumar Shinde, who headed the government in Maharashtra before the assembly elections, was made Andhra Pradesh governor.

The former Karnataka chief minister had unsuccessfully led the Congress in the state assembly polls held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.