Guv okays Cherian’s reinstatement

Thiruvananthapuram: CPM leader Saji Cherian will be sworn-in as a minister in the LDF government at 4pm on Wednesday.
Governor AM Khan gave his nod only after expressing strong dissent over the government’s decision to re-induct him as a case is pending against him in court. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke to Khan on Tuesday morning after which he reconsidered his earlier decision to seek more clarification from the government.
It is learnt that Khan had asked the CM whether it was proper to bring him back as the court had not exonerated Cherian in the case that was filed over his controversial remarks on the Indian Constitution. To this, the CM explained that the government took the decision after taking legal opinion and considering the police clearance report.
It was only after the CM’s assurance on legal backing for the re-induction of Cherian that Khan changed his stand.
The governor is learnt to have told the CM that he will not stand in the way if the government is confident about the legal opinion it received.
He is also learnt to have pointed out that if there is a setback in court over Cherian’s reinduction, then the government alone shall be responsible for it.
“Whatever advice I had to give I have given it to the chief minister. Ultimately, I accepted the decision of the chief minister to have the swearing in. Whatever I have to say I have said to the chief minister, which I do not want to discuss with the media,” said Khan.
The governor, who sought legal advice from Raj Bhavan’s legal adviser earlier, also took the legal opinion from the attorney general.
The advice he reportedly received was that there was nothing wrong in going ahead with the swearing-in of Cherian.