THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to ease tensions between the perennial chasm between the governor and the government, five ministers visited Rajbhavan late on Thursday. However, as resolute as history suggests, governor Arif Mohammed Khan made it clear that he won't sign the controversial bill including Lokayukta and the university bills that need approval. Meanwhile, with repeated urges from the ministers, Rajbhavan budged to sign other bills including the PSC-WAQF board, Malappuram district bank-Kerala bank merging, and others including cooperative institutions amendment for voting. The governor is fixated on his stance of asking for more details from the government on both the university and the Lokayukta bills.

The chief minister earlier sent a letter of concern to Raj Bhavan remembering the governor about the 8 bills stalled in the process of waiting for approval. Discerning the incident, the ministers called on the governor at Raj Bhavan. R Bindhu, P Rajeeve, J Chinjurani, V Abdurahman, and VN Vasavan were the entourage of ministers who paid a late-night visit to Raj Bhavan. The ministers were ceremoniously received and the meeting went on till 9:45 pm into the night. The governor sent off the minister and promised about rethinking his formerly held stance.

The governor al also made his disapproval of the chief minister not exercising his fundamental duty to reach out to the governor but sending ministers to mend things. Minister P Rajeeve promised the governor about passing the remark to the chief minister. Later, Rajeeve reasoned with the governor about the concurrent list that places an equal onus on the government in lawmaking in the educational sector. The governor in a repartee remembered the minister about the chief minister's assurance and letter which said the governor was the final head and chancellor of the universities.

The governor reaffirmed that the government ward off the opaqueness surrounding the bills and make them clear for his approval. He also abided to work through the constitutional process. The governor will leave for Hyderabad tomorrow and will be back only in March.