Thiruvananthapuram: The acrimony between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Arif Mohammed Khan was clear as daylight during the swearing-in of two ministers at the Raj Bhavan on Friday.
Not only did the two not see face-to-face, there wasn't even a customary handshake during the 30-minute event in which Ramachandran Kadannappalli and K B Ganesh Kumar were sworn in as ministers.
Vijayan also skipped the tea party thereafter and he was accompanied by the majority of his cabinet. Only the new ministers and A K Saseendran attended the party.
Throughout the swearing-in ceremony, the Governor appeared indignant. Governor Khan only returned a smile to a staff who sought his signature and to the ministers, who greeted him cordially after he had administered them oaths to the office.
Soon after the national anthem, the Governor side-stepped the chief minister, who had sat next to him and left the hall. Vijayan stayed back a bit longer to have a chat with his new ministers.
Kadannappalli has been assigned the portfolios of Registration, Museums, Archaeology and Archives while Ganesh Kumar gets the departments of Road Transport, Motor Vehicles and Water Transport. Meanwhile, V N Vasavan has been given the portfolio of Ports, which was held by Ahamed Devarkovil.
The Governor has been at loggerheads with the LDF government in the state over several matters, including the signing of bills and appointments to university senates.
SFI, the students' organisation of the ruling CPM has been staging protests against the Governor, including by raising banners mocking him at several campuses throughout the state.
