State vs Governor tussle: Kerala CM, ministers boycott I-Day special dinner at Raj Bhavan

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Chief Minister and ministers have boycotted the 'At Home' programme organised by Governor Rajendra Arlekar at Raj Bhavan as part of Independence Day celebrations. Opposition leader VD Satheesan is also not attending.

The boycott comes amid ongoing differences between the Governor and the state government, including disputes over university matters. The 'At Home' programme is a dinner usually held on Independence Day and Republic Day.

Although the Chief Minister and ministers are absent, senior officials, including the Chief Secretary and the DGP, have attended the event. Tensions worsened between the government and the Governor after the row over the use of a portrait of Bharat Mata carrying a saffron-coloured flag instead of the tricolour during an event at Raj Bhavan.