Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 2: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar was sworn in as the 23rd Governor of Kerala on Thursday by Kerala High Court Chief Justice Nitin Madhukar Jamdar.

The ceremony took place at the official residence of the Governor in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Speaker A.N. Shamseer, several cabinet ministers, and senior officials.

Arlekar succeeds Arif Mohammed Khan, who served as Kerala’s Governor for over five years and has now been transferred to Bihar. The two governors effectively swapped positions, with Arlekar previously serving as the Governor of Bihar.

A notable moment occurred on Wednesday when Chief Minister Vijayan abruptly ended his press briefing, stating he needed to rush to the airport to receive the incoming Governor. This contrasted with the departure of Khan on December 29, where neither Vijayan nor any cabinet colleagues were present to bid him farewell.

After reaching here, Arlekar visited the residence of Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, who is originally from Kerala.

Commenting on his new position, Arlekar said, “My job is to assist the Kerala government, and I am not going for any confrontation. I have always adopted such a position. My visit to the Goa Governor was to understand things.”

The relationship between outgoing Governor Khan and Chief Minister Vijayan was marked by frequent public disagreements. Tensions peaked over Khan’s resistance to the Kerala government’s efforts to exert influence over state universities. The dispute culminated in Khan refusing to sign several key ordinances and bills, compelling the state government to seek the Supreme Court's intervention.

The differences between Khan and Vijayan often played out publicly, with the two barely exchanging glances at official functions. A major flashpoint was Khan’s resistance to the Kerala government’s attempts to influence the functioning of state universities. The tensions escalated when he refused to sign key ordinances and bills, prompting the state government to approach the Supreme Court for intervention.

All eyes are on Arlekar, a seasoned politician from Goa and the Governor of Bihar and though he has made his position clear, time will tell how things pan out between him and the Vijayan government.

The first major job for Arlekar is to read out the mandatory Governor’s address to the 140-member Kerala Legislative assembly later this month.

It must be recalled at the Assembly's first session of the 2024 calendar year when the difference of opinion between Vijayan and Khan was at its peak, he came and ended his address in less than 90 seconds, making it the shortest ever Governor’s address. (IANS)

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