Kerala government - governor truce on VC appointments raises political nexus allegation

A consensus between Kerala governor and government on selection of vice chancellors has triggered criticisms of CPI(M) - BJP nexus.

Despite a long pending stand off between the governor and the state government, Ciza Thomas was appointed as vice chancellor of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) and Saji Gopinath as vice-chancellor of the Kerala University of Digital Sciences. While Thomas was being suggested by Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Gopinath was being backed by the state government.

Even as the state government was strongly opposing the suspension of Kerala University registrar K S Anilkumar for opposing the use of Bharatamba picture at a function attended by the governor in the university premises, now Anilkumar was repatriated to the college where he was working.

The fresh developments came as a surprise as the state government and the Governor were even contesting at the Supreme Court over the vice chancellor selection process and the court had even taken up the selection process due to the lack of consensus between the state and the centre. Earlier the state had also witnessed strong protest by the CPM's student outfit SFI over these issues.

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal that the CPM-BJP hidden understandings were becoming evident with the truce in the appointment of vice chancellors. The functioning of universities were earlier badly hit by the protest by CPM's student outfits over the appointment of Ciza Thomas by the governor, he pointed out.

Higher education minister R Bindu said that the state government's priority was to ensure smooth functioning of the universities. Hence the government and governor arrived at a decision on the appointment of vice chancellors.