With the term of Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi coming to an end by the close of this month, there is speculation as to whether there will be a new occupant for the Raj Bhavan or the incumbent will get an extension. Though expecting a change of guard, the ruling DMK is keeping its fingers crossed.

There is a buzz in the political circles that Ravi would be eased out and Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan would be his replacement. The term of both Ravi and Khan expires by July 31 but the two have earned national attention for their frequent run-ins with the elected state governments.

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Their confrontations with the respective state governments included stalling of Bills and unilateral appointment or extension of term of Vice Chancellors and others in universities, which have dragged them to the Supreme Court.

But, unlike Ravi, a career IPS officer, Khan has been a minister along with the DMK in the National Front government of VP Singh. While Khan don the hat of a liberal Muslim, Ravi is being accused by the DMK and its allies as an RSS pracharak, carrying out a vilification campaign against the Dravidian ideology.

Soon after Narendra Modi assumed office for the third time as Prime Minister, Ravi visited Delhi and had an audience with Modi, besides holding meetings with Home Minister Amit Shah and other Union Ministers. His extended stay in the national capital and meeting with Modi and Shah raised speculation that he might possibly get an extension.

An enfant terrible, Ravi, ever since he took over the reins of the Raj Bhavan in September 2021, has been carrying out a crusade debunking the Dravidian movement as anti-national, painting in poor light Dravidian icons like Periyar EV Ramasamy, the anti-Brahmin social reformer and rationalist, CN Anna Durai, founder of DMK and former Chief Minister.

He did not even leave Robert Caldwell, who was the first to establish that Tamil and the Dravidian languages were independent and different from Sanskrit and GU Pope, who translated ‘Tirukural’ of Tiruvalluvar into English, blaming them as colonial agents, inviting the wrath of the political parties and Tamil scholars.

In his turf war with the Stalin government, he had the ignominy of his speech outside the prepared Governor’s address was expunged and he had to stage a walk out in the assembly. He unilaterally dismissed Senthil Balaji from the cabinet, upon his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, but retracted within hours by keeping that in abeyance.

He refused to administer the oath of office to Higher Education Minister Ponmudy, saying it was morally and constitutionally wrong, but had to relent.

The Governor can continue in office for a period of five years or during the pleasure of the President and till the appointment of a new Governor even after his term expires. Whether Ravi remains in the Raj Bhavan here or not will be clear in the days to come.