Governor to tighten noose around CM; sends letter to President and CM, demands action

NEW DELHI: Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has written a letter to the President mentioning about the foreign trips of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his ministers. The letter to the President indicated that the chief minister violated rules and that he had not informed him who will replace him in his absence and also about his ten-day foreign visit. The letter said that even the ministers did not inform him.

A copy of the letter has been handed over to the office of the Prime Minister. The letter was sent soon after the Governor’s remarks against the office of the chief minister over the spat between the two. The governor’s crucial move is at a time when the tussle between the two will be discussed in the CPM leadership meetings starting today.

In a setback to the chief minister’s response that the Governor should not think that he is above the judiciary and the legislature, the latter reacted strongly on the allegations that the office of the chief minister is involved in the gold smuggling and the revelations of Swapna Suresh.

The governor at the press meet convened in Delhi yesterday warned that he would intervene if proved that the office of the chief minister and those close to him have role in the gold smuggling. The ammunition that escalated the direct confrontation with the chief minister was fired as he was about to return to the state today.

The governor responded yesterday without mentioning the names of Sivasankar, former principal secretary to the chief minister and Swapna Suresh, accused in the gold smuggling case.