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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at Kerala House in New Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting also included Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar and KV Thomas, who is the Kerala government’s special representative in Delhi.

The meeting was followed by breakfast and took place just a day after the governor’s rare interaction with Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from Kerala in Delhi. During that interaction, the governor urged MPs from Kerala to set aside political differences and work together for the state's welfare. He also promised to support the chief minister in raising Kerala's issues with the Union government.

Meeting details and key issues

According to a release from the CM’s office, the Union finance minister’s visit to Kerala House was unofficial, and she returned after having breakfast. While no official statement was provided about the meeting's content, sources close to the Kerala CM said that several important issues were discussed.

Among these concerns were:

• Increased central assistance for rehabilitation work in Wayanad, which was badly affected by landslides.
• Support for the Vizhinjam transshipment port, which is a major project aimed at boosting Kerala’s economy.

KV Thomas, who attended the meeting, described the talks as “positive.”

Some experts believe that the governor’s presence at the meeting may have a political angle. Former political science professor J Prabhash stated that the governor’s attendance was unusual since the governor’s office has no constitutional role in mediating Centre-State issues.

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Professor Prabhash also speculated that this meeting might indicate growing closeness between Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) party and the BJP ahead of the state elections. He suggested that both parties share a common political aim — to weaken the Congress-led UDF in Kerala. If the Congress loses influence, this could create a political gap that the BJP may try to fill.

The meeting’s timing and the governor’s involvement have sparked political debates, but the focus remains on Kerala’s pressing needs, including disaster relief and economic growth.