Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 17 Unlike the tumultuous tenure of his predecessor Arif Mohammad Khan, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar's inaugural address as Kerala's Governor to the 140-member Legislative Assembly (KLA) on Friday was smooth and incident-free.
This marked the commencement of the 13th session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly, a customary event where the Governor delivers the address on the first day of the calendar year's session.
The session, which is scheduled to conclude on March 28, will include 27 sitting days.
Governor Arlekar was welcomed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other dignitaries upon his arrival at the Assembly. He delivered the 88-page speech in just under two hours, setting a contrast to Khan's contentious tenure.
In 2024, during his final address, Khan caused a stir by reading only the first and last paragraphs of the speech before abruptly leaving the Assembly.
Similarly, in 2022, disagreements between CM Vijayan and Governor Khan escalated when Khan refused to sign the Governor’s address following a dispute involving senior IAS official K.R. Jyothilal.
The controversy arose after Jyothilal made the unprecedented appointment of a senior journalist in the Governor's office, prompting Khan to demand Jyothilal’s removal. While the official was temporarily removed, Vijayan reinstated him a few months later, showcasing his characteristic resolve.
Khan’s tenure was fraught with conflicts, often spilling into the public domain. His relationship with Vijayan and his cabinet was marked by frequent verbal spats. When Khan was leaving the Governor's House, in a notable snub neither Chief Minister Vijayan nor any of his ministers attended Khan's farewell.
In contrast, eyebrows were raised recently when Vijayan interrupted a media briefing, citing the need to reach the airport to welcome the new Governor -- a gesture reflecting a fresh start in state governance dynamics.
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