NEW DELHI: Bypassing protocols, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar joined Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for an informal meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at Delhi’s Kerala House on Wednesday to raise the state’s pressing demands, including the release of central funds and a special financial package for landslide-hit Wayanad.
Governor Arlekar’s participation assumes significance as he had hosted a dinner for Kerala MPs and Pinarayi on Tuesday evening, where he told the parliamentarians to “stand united” for the cause of the state, sources said.
Going a step further, Arlekar also attended a closed door meeting where Kerala additional chief secretary Dr A Jayathilak, who is in charge of finance, briefed Sitharaman on the financial distress caused to the state due to the absence of GST compensation and reduced central grants.
The meeting was also attended by Pinarayi and K V Thomas, the special representative of the Kerala government in Delhi.
The unprecedented act by the governor surprised political analysts who said Arlekar’s move was in stark contrast to the hostile stance adopted by his predecessor Arif Mohammed Khan.
“The constitutional obligations of the governor do not include attending these meetings. But, what he (Arlekar) has done is in the true spirit of federalism,” said political observer and former MP Sebastian Paul. “We were used to the hostile stance and public criticisms of Arif Mohammed Khan. That’s why Governor Arlekar’s moves stand out,” he said.
Prof Thomas told TNIE that the two back-to-back meetings (dinner with Kerala MPs and Wednesday’s breakfast meeting) attended by the governor have helped project an image that the state is united for the cause of its people.
“The governor, in fact, told the MPs that they should not address him as ‘His Excellency’, and asked them to consider him as one of them. That he took the pains to host the meeting itself is unprecedented. I don’t think any other previous governors have gone to such lengths to help the state,” Thomas said.
Sitharaman’s response to state’s requests positive
Pinarayi told Sitharaman that the cessation of GST compensation and the reduction in the state’s revenue deficit grant have squeezed Kerala financially.
Further, the state’s financial woes were compounded due to the declining share from central transfers. The state’s share in the central divisible pool steadily declined from 3.875% during the 10th Finance Commission to 1.925% under the 15th Finance Commission.
Sitharaman was also informed that the state has agreed to revise the SilverLine semi high-speed rail project as suggested by ‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan.
“The finance minister assured the state government that she would consider the request sympathetically,” Thomas said.