Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 20 (TIWN) Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Tuesday "gracefully" accepted that he has not been invited to the Christmas get-together being hosted by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan later in the day.

Responding to the media on being left out by Vijayan, he said the whole world is changing.  “Trouble erupts when you resist change. I have no problems in not being invited. My Christmas greetings to all who are taking part in it. I sincerely wish that the New Year brings good luck to all. I also wish all the Keralites a Merry Christmas. I have no grudges against anybody for not inviting me,” said Khan.  Incidentally, the friction between Khan and Vijayan has gone from bad to worse since August after the former took a rigid stance over the appointment of Vijayan’s private secretary’s wife Priya Varghese to a teaching job at the Kannur University.  Since then, the chasm between the two has only been widening and led to the Assembly passing a Bill removing the Governor as Chancellor of 14 Universities in the state, last week.  Besides, Vijayan and his team’s decision to boycott the Christmas get-together hosted by Khan, gave out a strong message that the CM is in no mood to relent and has decided to take the fight into his enemy’s camp.  Khan received another snub last week when the Vijayan government decided to extend the Assembly session beyond this year, as the general norm is after one session of the Assembly ends, the cabinet informs the governor that the session has been prorogued, but last week it decided to continue the present session.  On account of this, the customary address of Kerala Governor to the state legislature on the opening day of a new session in the new year will not take place in 2023.  Now, all eyes are fixed on Khan’s move with regards to the Bill that removes him as the chancellor.