Taking the tussle between the Rajbhavan and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan a new turn, Governor Arif Muhammad Khan has written to President Draupadi Murmu stating that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and  some ministers in his cabinet had travelled abroad without informing him as the head of the administration.

The Governor in his complaint to president Murmu, has stated that when Chief Minister Vijayan went abroad for ten days from October 3 to 13, he did not even inform him (the Governor), either in writing or verbal. The Governor also stated in his letter that he   was not informed of the alternative arrangements made to run the state government in CM’s absence. It created practical difficulties in the routine matters.

As per convention, chief ministers and prime minister inform the governors and president of India respectively before they go abroad and appraise them of the discussions they are going to have in the foreign countries . As soon as they return, they explain to the Governor or the President the discussions and business they held abroad.

Governor Khan is  reportedly  alleged in his letter that CM Vijayan has not  followed this procedure before and after his foreign tour.He also states that it is a blatant violation of the ‘Business Rules’ and has sought central intervention in the matter.

Education ministers V. Sivankutty,industries minister P Rajeev,  health minister Veena George and  sports  minister  V Abdur Rahman also accompanied CM Vijayan in his foreign tour.

Of late, Governor Khan and Pinarayi Vijayan government have been on a ‘warpath’ over a range of issues from ordinances to university affairs. On Thursday, Governor Khan raked up gold smuggling controversy to target the chief minister.

Governor Khan said though he has never interfered earlier, the alleged “patronising” of smuggling activities by  the Chief Minister’s Office(CMO) and people close to the CM are grounds enough for him to interfere now.

By raking up the diplomatic gold smuggling and the alleged  involvement of the CM’s office in it, the Governor has made the hardest of hard  attack against the LDF  government and the chief minister, ever since the clash between the governor and the LDF government has started. By this, the governor has put the office of the chief minister under the shadow of suspicion.    Ealier on Wednesday,chief minister Vijayan   launched an all-out attack against the Governor by alleging that he was trying to implement RSS agenda in  the state’s universities.

He said that  the Governor is trying to use the power that is not vested in him, trying to create parallel government, wants ministers sacked,removing Senate and Syndicate members also giving instructions to the police.

“If someone thinks that it is he who can do all this, then those thoughts must be kept in the mind only,” said the CM

Stating that Governor should devote some time to think about the powers he has under the Constitution, CM Vijayan said it is under the aid and advice of the chief minister that the Governor appoints or removes ministers from the cabinet and not on his own. Governor Khan should keep that in mind, he added.