Thiruvananthapuram, Sept. 14 -- The Kerala government has directed officials to use the prefix "Bahu" (short term of "honourable" in Malayalam) before the names of the Chief Minister and other ministers as a mark of respect.

A circular issued by the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department stated, "As part of the actions taken by the concerned offices after examining the petitions/complaints submitted by the general public to the Hon. Chief Minister and other ministers raising various demands, the correspondence regarding the reply to the respondents and applicants should be written as Bahu, the Chief Minister and other ministers as a sign of respect."

Meanwhile, the BJP's Kerala unit hit out at the CM Pinarayi Vijayan-led govern...