THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Denying the Opposition’s charge that Governor Rajendra Arlekar acted as a “bridge” for the chief minister’s recent breakfast meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi, Pinarayi Vijayan told the assembly that it was purely a “friendly conversation” on general issues facing the state. He clarified that the governor participated in the meeting on his request and ridiculed the Opposition for trying to make a big issue out of it.

The chief minister’s remarks came in response to the allegation by former leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala that the breakfast meeting was the “rehearsal” for closer ties between the CPM and the BJP. Speaking on the discussion on demand for grants for the 2025-26 fiscal, Chennithala said the people of the state have the right to know what the CM discussed unofficially with Nirmala.

“I have my own political views and so does the governor and also Nirmala Sitharaman. Those political views do not get eroded through such a meeting,” the CM said. “I did not use the meeting to present a memorandum on behalf of the state. It was a simple breakfast meeting,” said Pinarayi.

He also clarified that his presence at the dinner reception hosted by the governor at Kerala House for MPs from the state was at Arlekar’s request. The CM added that he and the governor were on the same flight to Delhi when the latter requested him to join the meeting.