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In flood-battered Kerala, CM Satheesans ‘silence’ speaks louder than words
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NewsPolitical PulseIn flood-battered Kerala, CM Satheesan's ‘silence’ speaks louder than words From inaugurating a jewellery showroom to taking a helicopter ride, the Kerala Chief Minister's public appearances have come under scrutiny as the state grapples with devastating floods. Residents wade through floodwaters outside their inundated homes after incessant monsoon rains caused widespread flooding, at Ranni, in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026. (PTI Photo) 5 min readThiruvananthapuramAug 4, 2026 01:24 PM IST First published on: Aug 4, 2026 at 01:24 PM IST The flash floods and landslides that have battered several districts of Kerala over the last two days have brought Chief Minister V D Satheesan’s crisis management under scrutiny, particularly from the CPI (M) that led the previous government in the state for a decade. The party has targeted the CM for not cancelling his engagements, including the opening of a jewellery showroom in Kochi on Sunday, drawing contrast with his predecessor Pinarayi Vijayan, whom they hailed as the commander-in-chief of the state’s disaster response during the 2018 floods.“The CM should discharge his responsibilities to help people and intervene after understanding the grim scenario. The onus of coordinating with the disaster response system lies with the CM. As the chairperson of the State Disaster Management Authority, the CM cannot delegate the task to his cabinet colleagues and remain on the sidelines. Failure to discharge that responsibility can only be seen as a betrayal of the people,’’ CPI (M) state secretariat said in a statement on Sunday. On Saturday, Satheesan posted on X that Revenue Minister A P Anil Kumar will coordinate the relief operations. Several CPI(M) leaders also questioned Satheesan’s “silence” in the last two days over the rain-inflicted crisis. To be sure, Satheesan chaired an online meeting with the revenue minister, the chief secretary and the district collectors in Kochi on Saturday. But while Kumar and other ministers, who were assigned in-charge of operations in various districts, briefed the media, Satheesan continued with his scheduled programmes in Kochi and Malappuram. He went to Malappuram to inaugurate a national seminar organised by Congress ally Indian Union Muslim League. Kumar was also present at the seminar. ‘Indifferent approach’ On Sunday, too, Satheesan did not speak to the media; instead, his office released details of the affected people and the relief measures initiated by the state. This was in sharp contrast to the days of Vijayan when his government confronted calamities head-on, the CPI(M) argued. “The CM (Satheesan) adopted an indifferent approach that his office would provide the details when the media (on Sunday) asked him about the monsoon havoc. He should recall that the previous CM (Vijayan) used to frequently address the media during similar situations. Such an approach gave confidence to people and alerted them about the situation,” CPI (M) said. On Monday, in his first press conference following the heavy rains, Satheesan dismissed the Opposition’s allegations that rescue and relief works got delayed. Addressing the media after a review of the situation, Satheesan said in Thiruvananthapuram, “In situations involving extremely heavy rains, we don’t get enough time for evacuation. The IMD cannot predict where exactly the extremely heavy rainfall will occur. For evacuation, we have to get details about the extreme rainfall in advance. We had taken all steps to establish the relief camps but we did not have information in advance about extreme rainfall.” As on Monday, 15 persons died and seven others are missing in the latest bout of monsoon fury. Around 11,000 people have been lodged in 316 temporary relief camps. Contentious helicopter ride Another thing that has put Satheesan in a sticky situation is his decision to use a government helicopter on Friday to travel from Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi, where he
The latest flashpoint centres on Satheesan's handling of the Congress's student wing, the Kerala Students Union (KSU). (Photo: X/File) 4 min readThiruvananthapuramJul 19, 2026 12:28 PM IST First published on: Jul 19, 2026 at 12:25 PM IST Chief Minister V D Satheesan, who heads the barely two-month old Congress government in Kerala, appears to be facing discontent from within the party with several senior leaders slamming him for “overlooking organisation while taking key decisions and making political appointments”. The criticism directed at Satheesan is emerging from those considered close to AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, who was seen to be among the frontrunners for the CM’s post.The latest flashpoint centres on Satheesan’s handling of the Congress’s student wing, the Kerala Students Union (KSU). The controversy erupted after KSU state president Aloshious Xavier objected to the appointment of an advocate with an alleged CPI(M) background as government counsel in the High Court. Satheesan, who also holds the Law portfolio, rejected the objection and publicly asserted that the KSU had no role in deciding such appointments. On Friday, while attending a public event in Kochi, he also drew criticism from sections of the party for allegedly failing to acknowledge the waiting KSU leader. In what was widely seen as a rebuke to Satheesan’s approach towards party workers, senior Congress leader V M Sudheeran backed Xavier. Addressing a public function in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, Sudheeran described the KSU leader as “a man of probity” with the courage to speak the truth and urged him to continue doing so without fear. Venugopal also weighed in on the issue, saying nothing should be done that causes pain to party workers. “The party will examine the grievances raised by the KSU,” he said. ‘Need to accept criticism’ Saturday, which marked the third death anniversary of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, also saw state Congress spokesperson V R Anoop make an indirect swipe at Satheesan. “He (Chandy) never turned power into arrogance. He never feared criticism. He never harboured hatred towards those who disagreed with him,” he wrote in a post on Facebook. KPCC general secretary P M Niyas similarly stressed the importance of accepting criticism. “The strength of an organisation lies not in rejecting criticism but in accepting it and making corrections. The maturity and credibility of leadership are demonstrated only when lapses are acknowledged and addressed. Those who insult the KSU are not merely disparaging an organisation; they are insulting the sacrifices and memories of its martyrs. The KSU is not just an organisation. It is an emotion and a conviction,” he said. Niyas had earlier opposed the appointment of N Seshadrinanthan as State Election Commissioner, alleging that the nominee had links to the Sangh Parivar. Satheesan did not act on those objections. A section of Congress leaders believes Satheesan has increasingly sidelined the party organisation and become less receptive to criticism from within. They point to the contrast with his own role during the previous Congress government headed by Chandy. As one of its most outspoken internal critics, Satheesan had then argued that neither age nor seniority was a prerequisite for questioning or correcting a party-led government. During his five-year tenure as the Leader of the Opposition, Satheesan repeatedly projected the idea of collective leadership under the slogan “Team UDF”. Even then, his growing influence within the Congress was widely seen as eclipsing the role of the then KPCC president K Sudhakaran. The current KPCC chief, Sunny Joseph, who has expressed his willingness to step down following his induction into the Cabinet, has similarly remained in Satheesan’s shadow. Most of the controversies that have confronted the government in its brief tenure have arisen from decisions taken either by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) or departm
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