Minister for Local Self-Government and Excise M.V. Govindan's election as State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has necessitated a reconstitution of the Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet.
A CPI(M) State secretariat communique on Friday said Mr. Govindan would resign from the Ministry. Instead, Speaker M.B. Rajesh, 51, will swear in as Minister. A.N. Shamseer, 45, will replace Mr. Rajesh as Speaker of the Kerala Assembly.
The communication fuelled speculation that Mr. Rajesh would inherit Mr. Govindran's Cabinet responsibilities.
Mr. Govindan was primarily responsible for implementing the government's flagship LIFE Mission project, which provides free and modern housing to poor and landless families.
Mr. Govindan handed over his resignation to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The government has tentatively scheduled the swearing-in of Mr. Rajesh on September 6.
The government sent Mr. Govindan's resignation by special messenger to Raj Bhavan. The government has also sent an e-mail communique to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. Mr. Khan is in New Delhi. He is scheduled to return to Kerala on September 5.
Mr. Rajesh will hand over his resignation to Deputy Speaker Chittayam Gopakumar.
The CPI(M) secretariat reportedly reckoned Mr. Rajesh had acquitted himself well as Speaker. It felt Mr. Rajesh had earned respect on either side of the aisle through his notable rulings, especially on gender and ethical issues, non-partisan approach to legislators, and fair interpretation of Assembly rules and proceedings.
The CPI(M) considers Mr. Shamseer, a two-time MLA and party State committee member, an apt replacement for Mr. Rajesh. Mr. Shamseer has often thrust himself into heated Assembly debates, often taunting Opposition legislators in one-to-one exchanges shouted across the aisle.
The party now expects Mr. Shamseer to execute a different role as Speaker. The Cabinet might call a special session of the Assembly to elect the new Speaker. The CPI(M) State secretariat tasked Mr. Vijayan to make changes, if necessary, in the Cabinet. Former Minister Saji Cherian, MLA, is facing police inquiring for allegedly denigrating the Constitution.
A notable hypothesis suggested that Mr. Cherian could re-enter the Cabinet if the inquiry cleared him. The CPI(M) also weighed the possible legal and political fallout of the Assembly pandemonium case against General Education Minister V. Sivankutty.
