3 min readThiruvanananthapuramMay 15, 2026 08:55 PM IST
A day after the Congress high command picked him as Kerala’s Chief Minister-designate, V D Satheesan noted that the state’s finances were not in a position to support any extravagance, and said he would use the existing official car of the CM instead of buying a new one and that his convoy would have a “minimum number” of vehicles.
“When the financial situation is bad, we have to create a model by reducing extravagance. I will use the existing car (of the CM). I am not bothered about its colour,” he said.
Satheesan said it was important for those at the top to send a message against extravagance.
“If I move along the roads with great pomp and show, people will laugh at me. I have told police not to cause any inconvenience to the people while I am travelling. My convoy should have only a minimum number of cars. I am not ridiculing anyone who may have moved with a large convoy of vehicles; they might have their reasons for that. But I do not need it. Those sitting at the top should send a message. If those in the top positions display pomp, others will also imitate them. Kerala does not have enough resources for such extravagance,” he said.
Earlier on Friday, Satheesan met former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan as well as several senior Congress leaders. He became emotional while visiting the family of late Congress leader G Karthikeyan.
The CM-designate also met senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, who was an unsuccessful contender for the CM post. “I am very close to Ramesh. He is my leader and elder brother. I am sure that I will have his support when I assume office as chief minister. On his joining the Cabinet, the party will take a decision after discussing with him,” Satheesan said.
Chennithala said, “I am happy that Satheesan has been made the chief minister. It is up to the party to decide whether I should be in the Cabinet. I have not put forward any condition.”
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Satheesan and his Cabinet are scheduled to be sworn in on Monday. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), which defeated the incumbent Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the Assembly election by a landslide, has held preliminary discussions about Cabinet formation following the conclusion of a 10-day process to pick the chief minister.
UDF convener Adoor Prakash told reporters that the UDF would hold a larger discussion to finalise the size of the Cabinet. The final picture on the number of Cabinet berths allotted to each party in the alliance will emerge on Saturday. In 2021, apart from the chief minister, Kerala had 20 other ministers.
