Minister's reinduction marks efforts to settle Governor-govt tussle in Kerala

The reinstatement of a minister in Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan government on Wednesday appears to be the start of efforts to resolve the months-long governor-government tussle.

CPM leader Saji Cheriyan, who had to resign from the Cabinet in July after a remark against the Constitution, was re-inducted, even as the case against him is pending before the court.

Close on the heels of Governor Arif Mohammed Khan agreeing to the government’s request to re-induct Cheriyan without raising any formal concerns, it is learned that the government has decided to keep off the moves to delay the governor’s policy address in the Assembly.

Even as the last session of the Assembly ended on December 13, the session was not formally ended so far. It had triggered speculations that the Left-front government was planning to hold the Budget Session in January as a continuation of the previous session so as to skip the governor’s policy address. As per norms policy address has to be delivered on the commencement of the first fresh session of a year only.

Sources said the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday decided to formally end the previous Assembly session and inform the governor. The Budget
Session would hence begin with the governor’s policy address.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress, which boycotted the swearing-in of Saji Cheriyan, staged a demonstration against his re-induction.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan alleged that the move was only a give-and-take adjustment between the governor and the government, in which BJP leaders were playing the role of middlemen.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, ministers, and Left-front leaders attended the swearing-in ceremony.

Cheriyan later told reporters that any differences between the governor and the government would be settled through talks.