Rajeev Chandrasekhar slams Congress over Kerala Governor's food row
Synopsis
Within hours of taking charge, Kerala's new Governor Om Prakash Mathur found himself at the centre of a political storm over a reported vegetarian food instruction at Lok Bhavan. BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar fired back at Congress, using the row to pivot to a broader attack on the Satheesan government's first 150 days — turning a domestic kitchen matter into a statewide political flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar defended Governor Om Prakash Mathur's reported instruction to serve vegetarian food at Lok Bhavan on 24 October 2026 .
Lok Bhavan clarified the instruction applies only to the kitchen serving the Governor and his family; employees retain their own food choices.
Congress General Secretary K.C.
Venugopal had earlier criticised the Governor, triggering the BJP's counter-attack.
Chandrasekhar also attacked the UDF government under CM V.D.
Satheesan over its performance at the 150-day mark, citing unmet guarantees and medicine shortages.
Governor Mathur took charge on 23 October 2026 , succeeding Rajendra V.
Arlekar , who has moved to Tamil Nadu .
Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President and MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday, 24 October 2026, launched a sharp counter-attack against the Congress over the controversy surrounding new Kerala Governor Om Prakash Mathur's reported instruction to serve vegetarian food at Lok Bhavan, the official gubernatorial residence in Thiruvananthapuram. Chandrasekhar defended the Governor's reported preference as a matter of personal choice and accused the Congress of manufacturing a controversy to deflect from governance failures.
BJP's Defence of the Governor
Chandrasekhar argued that the occupant of a home retained the right to decide what food was served within it. In a social media post, he asked pointedly: 'Can the Congress party insist that they go to a Muslim Malayalee's house and ask for pork?' The BJP leader characterised the Governor's food preference as an entirely personal matter and accused the Congress of treating it as a political weapon.
Lok Bhavan Issues Clarification
Lok Bhavan clarified that the reported instruction related specifically to the kitchen that prepares meals for Governor Mathur and his family. The clarification explicitly stated that employees working at Lok Bhavan remain free to eat food according to their own preferences. The statement was intended to address concerns that the Governor's personal dietary choices could impinge on the dietary freedoms of others at the residence.
Congress Pushes Back
The controversy was escalated after Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal publicly criticised the Governor over the reported directive. Venugopal's remarks transformed what had initially been reported as an internal administrative matter into an open political confrontation between the two national parties, playing out in Kerala's already charged political landscape.
BJP Turns Fire on the Satheesan Government
Chandrasekhar used the occasion to broaden his offensive, targeting the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government under Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, which has completed 150 days in office. 'What have we got?' he asked, questioning the government's progress on its five electoral guarantees and its flagship 'Puthu Yuga Keralam' promise. He accused the Congress of sidelining genuine public concerns — including difficulties faced by Kerala's youth and families affected by medicine shortages — in favour of debating the Governor's food habits. Chandrasekhar also targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging he was pursuing what he described as fraudulent politics and calling the party a group 'talking nonsense.'
New Governor, Familiar Fault Lines
Governor Mathur took charge on Friday, 23 October 2026, succeeding Rajendra V. Arlekar, who has been transferred to Tamil Nadu. Notably, the controversy erupted within Mathur's first full day in office, underscoring the historically fraught relationship between Kerala's state governments and the Raj Bhavan. This is the latest in a pattern of political clashes involving Kerala's Governor — a dynamic that has recurred under successive administrations. The food row, however minor in origin, has handed the BJP a platform to frame the Congress-led government as distracted and underperforming, even as the UDF approaches its six-month milestone.
Point of View
And the BJP knows it.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kerala Governor food row about?
The controversy involves a reported instruction by newly sworn-in Kerala Governor Om Prakash Mathur to serve vegetarian food at Lok Bhavan . Lok Bhavan has clarified this applies only to the kitchen preparing food for the Governor and his family, and that staff remain free to follow their own dietary preferences.
How did the BJP respond to the controversy?
Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar defended the Governor, arguing the resident of a house has the right to decide what food is served there. He accused the Congress of manufacturing unnecessary controversy and used the row to launch a broader attack on the Satheesan government's first 150 days in office.
What did Congress say about Governor Mathur's instruction?
Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal criticised the Governor over the reported directive, turning the matter into a public political exchange with the BJP. The Congress framed the instruction as a concern over dietary freedoms at an official government residence.
Who is Om Prakash Mathur and when did he take charge?
Om Prakash Mathur assumed charge as Kerala Governor on 23 October 2026 , succeeding Rajendra V. Arlekar , who has been reassigned to Tamil Nadu . The food controversy emerged within his first day in office.
What broader political attack did the BJP launch alongside the food row?
Chandrasekhar used the opportunity to question the performance of the Congress-led UDF government under Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan at its 150-day mark, specifically challenging the status of the government's five guarantees and the 'Puthu Yuga Keralam' campaign promise, while also citing concerns over medicine shortages.
