Om Prakash Mathur is set to be sworn in as the 29th Governor of Kerala on Friday, October 23. The official swearing-in ceremony will take place at the Lok Bhavan Auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram between 12:00 noon and 12:30 pm. Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, Justice Soumen Sen, will administer the oath of office. Mathur, who previously served as the Governor of Sikkim, arrives in the state capital on Thursday, October 22. He succeeds Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who moves to Tamil Nadu following a gubernatorial reshuffle.

A veteran strategist with five decades in public life

Born on 2 January 1952 in Bedal village in the Pali district of Rajasthan, Mathur completed his graduation from Rajasthan University. He began his long association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a Pracharak in 1972, working across several districts in Rajasthan until 1979. During the Emergency, he spent 11 months in prison. Between 1979 and 1989, he worked as an organiser for the Kisan Sangh. He then stepped into core BJP party management, serving as general secretary for organisation in Rajasthan from 1989 to 2002.

Mathur steadily built a reputation as a key election manager and party strategist. Over his career, he oversaw election campaigns in key states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. He went on to hold major national responsibilities, including BJP state president in Rajasthan, national secretary, national general secretary, and all-India vice-president from 2015 to 2022. He served two separate terms in the Rajya Sabha representing Rajasthan and chaired the House Committee.

Why an RSS background draws attention in Kerala

Mathur’s arrival brings his five-decade RSS and BJP background into sharp focus. Kerala state politics has seen repeated constitutional friction between elected state governments and governors with strong organizational ties to the ruling central party. Over recent years, both Left Democratic Front (LDF) and United Democratic Front (UDF) administrations have clashed with Raj Bhavan over authority and protocol.

Constitutional disputes in the state have typically revolved around several core areas. These include state university vice-chancellor appointments, administrative jurisdiction, and the delaying or withholding of assembly bills. Disputes have also broken out over official protocol, national symbols, and direct communications between the governor's office and government administrators.

Flashpoints that defined Rajendra Arlekar's tenure

Mathur’s predecessor, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, saw several political flashpoints during his tenure in Kerala. In May 2026, a controversy erupted during the assembly opening session when the police band played only the opening stanzas of 'Vande Mataram'. Arlekar raised strong objections, citing central guidelines mandating the full song, while Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan's administration defended the partial rendition.

Administrative boundaries created further friction. In June 2026, the Chief Secretary sent a formal letter expressing displeasure after Arlekar held a meeting with state officials without keeping the cabinet informed. In August 2026, Chief Minister Satheesan voiced strong disapproval when the governor directly summoned the State Police Chief to Lok Bhavan, an action Arlekar defended as within his constitutional authority. Earlier disagreements also involved the display of a 'Bharat Mata' portrait with a saffron flag at official events, university communication channels, and policy address contents.

A tale of two exits at Lok Bhavan

The departure of past governors reflects the shifting political temperature in Thiruvananthapuram. Arif Mohammed Khan, who had a prolonged standoff with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over university appointments and legislative bills, left without an official state farewell when transferred to Bihar in late 2024. Neither the chief minister nor state ministers visited him before his departure, with the government citing national mourning as a reason to forgo official functions.

In contrast, Arlekar receives a warm farewell hosted by the state government on Thursday, 22 October, featuring the presentation of Kerala Awards and an official dinner before his departure for Tamil Nadu. With Arlekar's exit, Mathur now steps into Lok Bhavan as Kerala's 29th governor.