Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has invited Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Ministers for the Christmas celebration at Raj Bhavan.

Last year, the Governor’s Christmas celebration had seen the participation of religious leaders.

But this year, the Chief Minister, Ministers, Speaker, Opposition Leader, Chief Secretary and departmental secretaries along with the religious leaders have been invited for the function.

Raj Bhavan sent the invitation letter on Saturday, inviting them to take part in the Christmas celebration to be held at 5pm on December 14. Cake cutting, among other ceremonies, would be part of the event.

The Governor's invitation, even as he is at loggerheads with the Chief Minister, is being seen as a ‘sweet revenge’ for not inviting him for the government functions held as part of the Onam celebrations.

The convention is that when the Governor extends an invitation, the Chief Minister and Ministers attend the function at the Raj Bhavan irrespective of their busy schedules. Speaker A N Shamseer and officials would attend the celebration.

The Governor has organised the celebrations on December 14, taking into account that the first phase of the Assembly session would end on December 13.

After the function in Thiruvananthapuram, the Governor has directed the Raj Bhavan authorities to organise Christmas celebrations in Kochi and Kozhikode as well. The government had excluded the Governor from the valedictory function of the week-long Onam celebrations held in the state capital this year.