Pinarayi hosts Christmas party, Guv Arif Mohammad Khan not invited

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM [KERALA]: The ongoing tussle between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Arif Mohammad Khan came to light again after the latter was dropped from the list of invitees of the Christmas Party hosted by the CM.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday hosted a Christmas feast at Mascot Hotel, owned by Kerala Tourism in Thiruvananthapuram, as part of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

"Governor Arif Mohammad Khan was not invited to the said party," the Raj Bhavan confirmed.

Notably, Cardinal Mar George Alencheri, Cardinal Baselios Mar Clemis, Bishop Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, Bishop Dr.Theodosius Martoma Metropolitan, Archbishop Dr. Thomas J Neto, Joseph Mar Gregorius Metropolitan, Cyril Mar Baselios Metropolitan, Athanasios Yohan Metropolitan, Bishop Mar Mathew Araikkal, SNDP leader Vellappally Natesan, Palayam mosque Imam Dr. VP Suhaib Maulavi, Gokulam Gopalan, Swami Gururatnam Gnanathapaswi, Prof. VK Thomas, Prof. PJ Kurian, Swami Subhangananda, Kadnapally Ramachandran, VK Mathews, Justices Benjamin Koshy, Cyriac Joseph, Anthony Dominic, Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan, Ministers K. Rajan, Roshi Augustine, K Krishnankutty, AK Saseendran, Ahmed Devarkovil, Antony Raju, GR Anil, KN Balagopal, Dr. R Bindu, MB Rajesh, PA Mohammad Riaz, P Rajiv, V Sivankutty, VN Vasavan, Veena George, Legislative Assembly Speaker AN Shamseer, Deputy Speaker Chittayam Gopakumar, Mayor Arya Rajendran, Mathew T. Thomas MLA, M.V. Dr. Shreyams Kumar, Chief Secretary VP Joy, Planning Board Vice Chairman Prof. VK Ramachandran, and many other dignitaries attended the banquet.

In the meantime, Governor Arif Mohammad Khan celebrated Christmas with the inmates of 'Love of home' Koottoli, Kozhikode yesterday.

Last week Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Cabinet members, and opposition leader VD Satheesan also abstained from the Christmas Party, hosted by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, despite an invitation sent by the Rajbhavan to all of them.