THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With eight crucial Bills pending before Governor Arif Mohammed Khan for his assent, the state government is all set to send ministers to the Raj Bhavan, as part of its strategy to pacify him.
In a recent communication, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed the governor that the ministers concerned will meet him and brief him about the contentious legislation, including the University Amendment Bill to remove the governor as the chancellor and the widely-debated Lok Ayukta Amendment Bill.
The government’s move comes at a time when the governor-government standoff was headed to a new level. Recently, the governor had rejected the requests from Ministers R Bindu and P Rajeeve to meet him in Kochi. Though the private secretaries of the ministers called up the governor’s aide seeking appointment, the Raj Bhavan took a stand that official meetings should be held in Thiruvananthapuram as the files are kept at the Raj Bhavan.
The government is wary of Khan’s hesitation to sign the eight Bills passed by the state assembly. Pinarayi had written to the governor in the first week of February, reminding him about the eight legislations awaiting his approval. In response, Khan reminded the CM that it is for the state government to initiate steps to clarify the doubts. The governor had also laid down certain conditions, including regular appraisal by ministers and department secretaries on these issues.
The Raj Bhavan is unhappy that the government failed to keep its word about ministers’ meeting with the governor. It’s against this backdrop that the CM sent a letter indicating that the ministers will meet the governor to brief about the legislation.