THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At a time when relations between the Centre and the LDF government in the state have hit a low, Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has initiated steps – seen as historic – to help them reconnect.
On Wednesday, Arlekar set aside protocol to be present at a meeting between Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. This came a day after another unprecedented move, when the governor called a meeting of members of Parliament (MPs) from the state and Vijayan.
The moves have set off shock waves in the UDF and the BJP. Arlekar was an RSS leader prior to being named a minister in Goa. His predecessor as Kerala governor, Arif Mohammed Khan, had a bitter relationship with the LDF-led state government. Many of Arif’s actions forced the state government to approach courts and tit-of-tat steps and statements were common between the two.
A fresh take on relations was visible when Arlekar agreed to present the government’s policy address in full, unlike Arif who kept wrapping up his speech in minutes. The real breakthrough came last week at an event convened by President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi for southern states. All the governors and state officials were invited. The special envoy of the Kerala government in Delhi, K V Thomas, who participated in the function had an over hour-long discussion with Arlekar.
“Naturally, the state’s development worries came up,” Thomas told TNIE.
“I conveyed the state’s concerns, including financial assistance to rehabilitate those affected by the Wayanad landslides, viability gap funding (VGF) for Vizhinjam port, curbs on borrowing limit, etc. The governor told me that we should unite for the development of the state. He said that he is ready to talk to MPs from the state,” Thomas said.
Almost immediately, the governor’s office invited all the MPs, including the two Union ministers from the state, for the dinner meeting on Tuesday. He also invited CM Vijayan, who is in New Delhi to participate in the CPM politburo meeting.
This was probably the first time that a governor has invited MPs and CM from a state for a formal meeting. All the MPs except Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (Wayanad) and KPCC president K Sudhakaran (Kannur) participated. While the two ministers from the state, George Kurian and Suresh Gopi, were absent, Rajya Sabha MP P T Usha took part. AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal (Alappuzha) was also present.
According to MPs who participated in the meeting, the governor told them that on matters concerning the state, everyone should unite without considering political differences. Arlekar also said that he is aware of the state’s issues and is ready to meet the prime minister or central ministers, along with the CM, for the sake of development.
The MPs highlighted issues such as uncertainty over VGF for Vizhinjam port, the urgent need for an AIIMS in the state, the semi high-speed rail project (K-Rail), for which E Sreedharan has submitted a new project proposal, borrowing limit, and the Wayanad rehabilitation project.
“The governor noted all the points that were raised at the meeting,” an MP said. The CM, while welcoming the initiative, reportedly said that it is welcome and at the same time exciting that the governor is part of ‘Team Kerala.’
The meeting with the finance minister was finalised after K V Thomas met Nirmala on March 6 and extended an invitation for a breakfast meeting. The state government also sought the availability of the governor for the meeting. The CM submitted a representation, underlining the various concerns of the state, to the minister.
“We feel that the steps taken by the governor will open a new path,” CPM MP John Brittas said. “It is also his responsibility as the first citizen of the state to take up the issues affecting the state. The LDF government has always said that we will take pragmatic steps as far as development of the state is concerned. I also brought to the notice of the governor the absence of the two Union ministers in the meeting,” he told TNIE.
For the CPM, the governor’s intervention has come at a time when the opposition UDF and the BJP have intensified their attacks on the government.
In January 2024, at the height of the showdown between the state and central governments, all the ministers led by Vijayan organised a protest at Jantar Mantar against alleged attacks on federalism. Chief ministers of three opposition-ruled states were also part of the event.