Kerala’s political pitch has, to put it in cricket parlance, turned nasty with the well-thought-out political googly tossed up by Chennithala. Khan, who has crossed all limits of gubernatorial conduct must go, thundered Ramesh, who has sought the permission of the Speaker to move a resolution in the State Assembly.

Ostensibly, the googly is directed at the Kerala Governor. But the real target is the Left Democratic Front Government (LDF) headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The burden of Ramesh’s song is that he had been forced to take the extreme step because of the ‘inexplicable failure’ of the CM to move a resolution demanding the Governor’s recall!

Chennithala is, obviously, trying to fell two mangoes with one stone. If the Government fails to back his resolution, the ruling LDF and the Chief Minister would be blamed for being soft on the Governor. If the Government agrees to support the move, then Chennithala would emerge as the real hero of the battle against the Governor.

Unfortunately for Ramesh, the Chief Minister has presented a ‘broad bat’ to play the political googly. By coolly patting back the ‘nasty delivery’, the CM has frustrated Ramesh’s move to score political brownie points on the issue. And he has the full backing of the CPI(M) in this. The Chief Minister and the LDF Government have clearly sensed the danger Chennithala’s googly posed. Rightly the Government has promptly ruled out any support to the recall- Governor-resolution move.

The party has made it clear that it is not for a confrontation with the Governor.

Rebutting the allegations made by Chennithala that the Government and the CM are scared to take a stand against the Governor despite provocations from Khan.

And the Government is on solid ground in refusing to play ball with the Opposition to bait the Governor. First and foremost, the Government has informed the Governor that it cannot omit the critical reference to the CAA in the Governor’s address to the State Assembly session beginning on January 30 as demanded by Arif Mohammed Khan.

The Governor had held that the Assembly cannot pass a resolution against the CAA as the issue is pending before the Supreme Court. It amounted to contempt of court, the Governor pointed out.

The Government, however, countered the argument claiming that the resolution and case were against attempts to undermine the Constitution. Therefore, the contempt of court charge won’t stand legal scrutiny.

Now that the Government has refused to play ball, all attention will be focussed on what the Governor would do now. His options are limited. The Governor can refuse to read the portion critical of the CAA. But even if he refuses to read it, that portion will remain part of the Governor’s Address and would be considered as having been read!

In sum, it would appear that the Congress’s ploy to embarrass the Government and extract political mileage out of the sensitive issue has come a cropper. In his eagerness to outsmart the Government, Chennithala has, unwittingly, scored a self-goal. By seeking the recall of Arif Mohammed Khan, Chennithala has sought to shift the focus from the real issue – the withdrawal or the repeal of the controversial CAA. And the Government seems to have won the perception battle by refusing to oblige Chennithala, and keeping the spotlight on the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). (IPA Service)