The CPI(M) and BJP in Kerala are taking the “battle” over Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to the streets. On November 15, the CPI(M)-led LDF will take out a massive march to the Raj Bhavan in protest against the “Governor’s bid to implement Sangh Parivar agenda in the state education sector”. On the other hand, the BJP is set to conduct district-level conventions “to expose the CPI(M) conspiracy to overturn the Constitution by threatening the Governor” on November 18 and 19. After a two-day CPI(M) state committee meeting in Thiruvananthapuram, party state secretary and politburo member M V Govindan Sunday told mediapersons that people from all walks of life, especially from the education sector, will take part in the march towards the Raj Bhavan. This march and the subsequent dharna will be held under the aegis of the Education Protection Samithi, chaired by Dr B Ekbal (a former vice-chancellor). On the same day, protests, marches and conventions will be held across all districts in the state. “The RSS and the BJP are behind the Governor. We will face the threat by mobilising the people. Things have reached a state where we should think whether the Governor can be allowed to continue as the chancellor of universities in Kerala. The Governor was made the chancellor as per a legislation enacted by the Assembly. The party has debated and decided to go to any extent to take on the Governor. He will be opposed at all levels, legally, politically and constitutionally,’’ he said. The Raj Bhavan march on November 15 will be kicked off by CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, and senior leaders of the LDF and DMK Rajya Sabha member Tiruchi Siva will participate in it. In the days leading to the Raj Bhavan march, the CPI(M) will go for a door-to-door campaign on the issue. The BJP plan, as announced by party state president K Surendran, is also to mobilise people against the state government’s “anti-Constitutional” approach. “The BJP will conduct mass conventions in all districts on November 18 and 19 to expose the CPI(M) conspiracy to overturn the Constitution by threatening the Governor. The CPI(M) has lost faith in the judiciary. The CPI(M) has turned against the Governor after he tried to implement the Supreme Court order on V-Cs. The CPI(M) has trampled over democracy and the Constitution,’’ he said. The CPI(M) clearly hopes to showcase the protest against Khan as a larger fight against the BJP and RSS. The formation of the Education Protection Samithi as a platform is towards that end, leaders pointed out. During the BJP agitation against entry of younger women in Sabarimala in 2018, after it was allowed by court, the CPI(M) had similarly countered the protests by floating a similar platform – the Renaissance Samithi – which was a broader venue of various community, social outfits and “progressive’ forces against the RSS”. At the time, the Left had also been able to rope in an ally of the BJP in Kerala, Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), for a women’s wall formed by the Renaissance Samithi in support of the government stand favouring the implementation of the court order. The BDJS joining sides with the CPI(M) had created major embarrassment for the BJP. The BJP announcing conventions in support of Khan is expected to further help the CPI(M) in projecting it as a fight against the RSS. This leaves the Congress in a piquant situation. As the main Opposition party, it cannot back the CPI(M) in its fight against Khan. Several senior state leaders have, in fact, hit out against the state government, but national leaders of the Congress want to keep their distance from Khan. Congress partner Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has already come out against Khan.
