Thiruvananthapuram | Outgoing Keralam Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday backed the entry of private universities into the state to foster healthy competition in higher education and opposed the politicisation of campuses, saying differences of opinion with the government should not be seen as confrontation or conflict.

He was speaking to reporters at the Lok Bhavan here on the final day of his tenure as the Governor.

"I am in full support of the private universities. I want that private universities also should come here. State universities, government as well as the private universities will have some healthy competition in the field. I want that and I am in full support of that," the Governor said.

His remarks came days after the Kerala Assembly passed a resolution seeking the withdrawal of the Kerala Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2025, which had been pending presidential assent.

Recalling his nearly two-year tenure as Governor, Arlekar said the people of Keralam were cooperative and affectionate.

"They listened to me... understood what I wanted to say... many of them appreciated me. Very rarely the Governor gets appreciation. It's not because of my qualities. But because of the qualities within the people of Keralam," he said.

He said he had worked with two governments -- the previous LDF government and the present UDF government -- and was fortunate to have maintained very cordial relations with both.

Referring to the two chief ministers he had worked with, Arlekar said both had maintained good relations with him in the interest of the government and the people of the state.

"I am happy that I could complete my career without much confrontations," the Governor added.

Asked about the differences between Lok Bhavan and the government over the politicisation of campuses, he said he did not view the incidents as confrontations.

"There should not be politicisation. You may have differences of opinion. That does not mean that you have a confrontation or conflict," Arlekar said, adding that even some ministers had agreed with his views against the politicisation of educational campuses.

The Left government and their students' outfit, SFI, had been at loggerheads with Arlekar over various issues related to universities, where he serves as Chancellor.

The present UDF government also expressed dissatisfaction with the Lok Bhavan in some of the matters related to universities earlier.

Former Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur will be sworn in as the 29th Governor of Keralam on Thursday.

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Lok Bhavan Auditorium here between 12 noon and 12.30 pm, according to a Lok Bhavan statement.

Chief Justice of the Keralam High Court Justice Soumen Sen will administer the oath of office to Mathur.